Method and a device for aligning a space vehicle, particularly a geostationary satellite, in a reference direction

US5132910A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Arnold Scheit · Munich, DE
• Horst Fischer · Hilden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 11, 1990
• Grant date: Jul 21, 1992
• Expiry date: Jul 11, 2010

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64G1/363
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and arrangement for aligning a space vehicle with respect to a reference object is disclosed. A measuring direction is obtained by determining the angular orientation direction of the space vehicle with respect to the reference object and subsequently the space vehicle is aligned by means of actuators such that the measuring direction corresponds to a reference direction on the space vehicle. The actuators are driven by control signals which are derived from the measuring direction to cause control torques on the space vehicle. The orientation of the space vehicle and reference object is determined only with respect to a single measuring direction along a main axis of a direction sensor. The following steps are taken if the measuring direction does not correspond to the reference direction on the space vehicle: PA1 a) the space vehicle is rotated around the reference direction on the space vehicle, PA1 b) controlling a fault component of the direction of the reference object situated in the measuring direction by locking on a first control torque perpendicularly with respect to the reference direction on the space vehicle, and PA1 c) controlling the unmeasurable component …