Method of controlling the attitude of a satellite and an attitude-controlled satellite
US9027887B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2012 |
| Grant date | May 12, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/245
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of controlling the attitude of a satellite in orbit around a celestial body. The attitude of the satellite being controlled by a momentum storage device and controllable surfaces of the satellite configured to create desaturation torques in the storage device by using solar pressure. The controllable surfaces are arranged on solar panels mobile in rotation around an axis Y. At least one electric thruster configured to control the orbit of the satellite also controls the attitude of the satellite. The orientation of the electric thruster is controlled to activate the electric thruster with a thrust direction deliberately not aligned with a center of mass of the satellite to create desaturation torques in the storage device along axis Y. The controllable surfaces are controlled to create desaturation torques of the storage device in a plane orthogonal to the Y axis.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.