Patent · US Expired

Satellite having a solar generator on a deployable arm, and method of bringing such a satellite on station

US6378810B1 · kind B1 · utility

25Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 14, 2000
Grant dateApr 30, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 14, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/47
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A satellite has a platform of elongated shape in a direction parallel to a roll axis of the satellite. A deployable arm is pivotally carried by a longitudinally extending face of the platform. A solar generator is carried at the end of the arm by a first motor for aiming the generator through a range of 360° about a pitch axis orthogonal to the direction of elongation of the platform. A second motor rotates the solar generator through a limited angular range about an axis that is orthogonal to the pitch axis and parallel to the plane of the generator. The arm, when deployed, moves the solar generator away from on a stored position in contact with the platform in a direction of a yaw axis.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.