초록

An attitude control and stabilization system for momentum biased satellites utilizing a pair of counterrotating flywheels mounted parallel to its yaw axis. The speed of one of the wheels of the pair is controlled by sensing and correcting the roll axis errors of the satellite.

대표청구항 ▼

An attitude control system for a momentum biased satellite having pitch, roll and yaw axis that are each mutually perpendicular to each other and further having a pitch axis control loop including a motor for driving a bias momentum wheel about an axis parallel to the pitch axis, and further includi

An attitude control system for a momentum biased satellite having pitch, roll and yaw axis that are each mutually perpendicular to each other and further having a pitch axis control loop including a motor for driving a bias momentum wheel about an axis parallel to the pitch axis, and further including means to sense motion of said satellite with respect to said pitch axis and provide a signal manifesting such motion, and means responsive to said sensor signal for correcting pitch axis motion errors relative to a predetermined reference, said system comprising: a first wheel oriented to spin about an axis parallel to said yaw axis in one rotation direction; a second wheel oriented to spin in the opposite direction from said one rotation direction about an axis parallel to said first wheel axis; a first means for driving said first wheel at a predetermined constant speed; a second means for driving said second wheel at a variable speed, said seconds means including sensor means oriented to sense motion of said satellite with respect to said roll axis and to generate a signal manifesting roll axis motion; and means including a closed loop control responsive to said signal manifesting roll axis motion for controlling the speed of said second motor to rotate said satellite about said roll axis to reduce errors in motion relative to said predetermined reference.