Spacecraft spin axis capture system and method
US5308025A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1992 |
| Grant date | May 3, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/281
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A control system and method for causing a spacecraft (10) initially spinning about a principal axis of inertia (H) to transition to spin about an arbitrary command axis (3) is presented in which the capture maneuver is performed in a way to preserve spacecraft attitude knowledge without sensor or attitude propagation by using a simple rate feedback loop. The capture is accomplished by applying a step torque about axes (1) and (2) transverse to the desired spin axis (3) creating an initial nutation. The nutation is subsequently damped actively by closing a rate feedback loop with a low pass filter and applying transverse torques proportional to the transverse nutational rate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.