초록 ▼

An automated spacecraft orbit compensation system and method that maintains a spacecraft in a desired orbit. The spacecraft orbit compensation system and method is automated to minimize human intervention. The system includes apparatus for determining orbital errors (ranging data) and apparatus for

An automated spacecraft orbit compensation system and method that maintains a spacecraft in a desired orbit. The spacecraft orbit compensation system and method is automated to minimize human intervention. The system includes apparatus for determining orbital errors (ranging data) and apparatus for determining the duration and orbital location of thruster firings to correct the orbit. Each of the apparatus are located at a ground station. The system and method generates ranging data indicative of the range of the spacecraft. The ranging data are processed to estimate the orbit of the spacecraft. The estimated orbit is used to compute a thruster burn plan for the following N days. The thruster burn plan is uploaded to the spacecraft. The above steps are repeated at regular intervals.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. An automated spacecraft orbit compensation system for maintaining a spacecraft containing a control processor and one or more thrusters in a desired orbit, comprising:ground-based orbit determination system that uses gathered data to generate an estimate of the orbit of

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. An automated spacecraft orbit compensation system for maintaining a spacecraft containing a control processor and one or more thrusters in a desired orbit, comprising:ground-based orbit determination system that uses gathered data to generate an estimate of the orbit of the spacecraft;a ground-based planning system coupled to the orbit determination system for computing a thruster burn plan for the following N days based on the estimated orbit of the spacecraft; anda transmitter coupled to the planning system for transmitting information generated by the planning system to the control processor on-board the spacecraft which fires one or more thrusters to control the orbit of the spacecraft.