Arrangement for attitude control and stabilization of a three axes stabilized spacecraft

US5931421A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG · DE

Inventors

• Michael Surauer · Chieming, DE
• Rolf Keeve · Ottobrunn, DE
• Nahit Ertongur · Ottobrunn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 12, 1996
• Grant date: Aug 3, 1999
• Expiry date: Aug 12, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64G1/32
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An arrangement for attitude control and stabilization of a three-axis stabilized, bias momentum spacecraft which is equipped with a spin wheel arrangement that is capable of generating an angular momentum vector in a predeterminable direction, as well as control torques about all three axes of a spacecraft fixed system of coordinates, independently of one another. The control arrangement is equipped with an attitude sensor, which measures the attitude deviation about a first lateral axis (roll axis) oriented perpendicularly to the predetermined direction, with actuators for generating external control torques. A decoupling controller uses the deviations signal (roll angle phi) and takes into account the magnitude of the angular momentum generated by the spin wheel momentum arrangement, to provide a control signal which causes unidirectional decoupling of the roll dynamics from the yaw dynamics, for the spin wheel arrangement for generating a control torque about a second lateral axis (yaw axis) which is orthogonal to the predeterminable direction and to the first lateral axis.