Attitude control for space vehicle

US3944172A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• ERNO Raumfahrttechnik GmbH · DE

Inventor

• Klaus Becker · Wetter, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 3, 1975
• Grant date: Mar 16, 1976
• Expiry date: Feb 3, 1995

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64G1/245
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Method of providing position, e.g. attitude control for space vehicles having control thrusters producing thrust for imparting momentum upon the vehicle, further having a control apparatus for the thrusters causing them to produce thrust bursts or pulses so that controlled, incremental momenta be imparted upon the vehicle, such thrust bursts being triggered respectively when the vehicle tends to move beyond selected descrete deviations and error position levels. The highest level, one in either direction, define a range of positional tolerance, and the thrusters are operated, so that a relatively small momentum is produced when the vehicle tends to move past either of said maximum levels; the thrusters are operated on the other levels under these conditions. The momentum produced on any such level is smaller than the sum of momenta to be produced on all higher position levels; such corrective momentum is produced only after momenta have been produced for all selected smaller position levels; and each level (except the highest) is used only for each sequence of thrust bursts leading to a residual error cycle wherein the vehicle is caused to oscillate within the range of tolerance wi…