초록 ▼

A spacecraft traveling in a volume of space receiving radiation from the sun and encountering an undesired force. The spacecraft has a solar panel movably attached to said spacecraft. The spacecraft further includes a solar panel controller which controls the movement of the solar panel, wherein the

A spacecraft traveling in a volume of space receiving radiation from the sun and encountering an undesired force. The spacecraft has a solar panel movably attached to said spacecraft. The spacecraft further includes a solar panel controller which controls the movement of the solar panel, wherein the controller moves the solar panel in a time modulated manner so that a torque is generated which compensates for the undesired force.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A spacecraft traveling in a volume of space receiving radiation from the sun, comprising:a solar panel;a sensor measuring undesired forces exerted on said spacecraft and generating a signal representing said undesired forces;an evaluator which receives said signal and calculates fr

[ We claim:] [1.] A spacecraft traveling in a volume of space receiving radiation from the sun, comprising:a solar panel;a sensor measuring undesired forces exerted on said spacecraft and generating a signal representing said undesired forces;an evaluator which receives said signal and calculates from said signal a torque to be applied to said spacecraft to compensate for said undesired forces;a comparator generating a comparator signal indicative of whether said torque is within a predetermined range; and,a solar panel controller which receives said comparator signal, wherein (1) if said comparator signal indicates that said torque is within said predetermined range, then said torque is applied to said spacecraft by moving said solar panel to a position relative to said radiation for a fixed period P; and (2) if said comparator signal indicates that said torque is outside said predetermined range, then said torque is applied to said spacecraft by tacking said solar panel between at least two different positions relative to said received radiation during said fixed period P, said tacking of said solar panel being time modulated.