High pointing accuracy spacecraft
US10367575B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q25/02
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A spacecraft payload subsystem includes a tracking receiver, an input multiplexer, an antenna pointing mechanism (APM) controller and a plurality of antenna reflectors. Each antenna reflector is mechanically coupled with a respective APM, and illuminated by a respective tracking feed element. Each respective tracking feed element is configured to receive an uplink beacon signal from the ground by way of one of the antenna reflectors and is coupled, by way of a respective pseudo-monopulse (PSM) coupler and the input multiplexer, to the tracking receiver. The tracking receiver is configured to receive multiplexed signals from the PSM couplers by way of the input multiplexer and output corresponding pointing error information to the APM controller. The APM controller is configured to send commands to one or more of the APMs. Each APM is configured to point a respective antenna reflector in response to the commands.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.