Unified spacecraft attitude control system with pseudo-complementary paired thrusters
US5335179A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 24, 1992 |
| Grant date | Aug 2, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/26
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A unified spacecraft attitude control system includes a memory aboard the spacecraft, in which a linear transformation matrix [.alpha.] is stored, which includes information identifying pseudo-complementary pairs of thrusters, and the characteristics of each pseudo-complementary pair. During each control cycle of the spacecraft attitude control system, the error signal is multiplied by a gain representing a desired slew rate to form pulse-width signals {pw} for the pseudo-complementary paired thrusters. An augmented pulse-width vector matrix {PW} is formed by transformations, to eliminate negative values of pulse width. The actual thruster pulse widths {.DELTA.t} are calculated as {.DELTA.t}=[.alpha.]{PW}. The thrusters are energized by limited values of {.DELTA.t}.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.