Autonomous satellite orbital debris avoidance system and method
US8833702B2 · kind B2 · utility
4Cited by
13References
31Claims
0Family size
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 2013 |
| Grant date | Sep 16, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 27, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/247
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An autonomous system for a satellite which calculates collision paths of debris from anywhere within the spheroid around the satellite by using its radar/ladar data and from data on its own orbit derived by onboard sensors such as star, earth and sun sensors or from stored data sent from its ground control station through the satellite's command subsystem. If a collision would be likely, the system calculates the minimum change in the satellite's orbit to avoid such collision and generates and executes commands for firing on-board orbital control thrusters to put the satellite in a suitable avoidance orbit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.