Method and computer program product for controlling inertial attitude of an artificial satellite by applying gyroscopic precession to maintain the spin axis perpendicular to sun lines
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64G-001/32
B64G-001/36
G05D-001/08
출원번호
US-0212433
(2011-08-18)
등록번호
US-8706322
(2014-04-22)
발명자
/ 주소
Johnson, William M.
출원인 / 주소
Johnson, Kara Whitney
대리인 / 주소
Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
A method of controlling inertial attitude of an artificial satellite in order to perform a navigation function and to maximize terrestrial coverage of the Earth by the satellite. The method includes deploying the artificial satellite in an orbit about the poles of the Earth; applying gyroscopic prec
A method of controlling inertial attitude of an artificial satellite in order to perform a navigation function and to maximize terrestrial coverage of the Earth by the satellite. The method includes deploying the artificial satellite in an orbit about the poles of the Earth; applying gyroscopic precession to the artificial satellite spin axis to precess and maintain the satellite near the ecliptic pole; deploying the artificial satellite so that the spin axis is initially perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to sun lines; and applying gyroscopic precession to the artificial satellite spin axis to precess the spin axis away from an initial deployed attitude at a selectively-variable precession rate and to maintain the spin axis perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the sun lines.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of controlling inertial attitude of an artificial satellite, the artificial satellite having a spin axis, a star track sensor, and a navigation data device, in order to perform a navigation function and to maximize terrestrial coverage of the Earth by said artificial satellite, the metho
1. A method of controlling inertial attitude of an artificial satellite, the artificial satellite having a spin axis, a star track sensor, and a navigation data device, in order to perform a navigation function and to maximize terrestrial coverage of the Earth by said artificial satellite, the method comprising: deploying the artificial satellite in an orbit about the Earth;applying gyroscopic precession to the artificial satellite spin axis to precess and maintain said satellite at a desired inertial attitude in inertial space;deploying the artificial satellite so that the spin axis is initially perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to sun lines; andapplying gyroscopic precession to the artificial satellite spin axis to precess the spin axis away from an initial deployed attitude at a selectively-variable precession rate and to maintain the spin axis perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to said sun lines. 2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising: disposing the star track sensor at or near the spin axis of the artificial satellite;structuring and arranging the star track sensor to have a small field-of-view and a line-of-sight at the spin axis of the artificial satellite;determining a square of a first radius (R12) of a track of a first astronomical object;determining a square of a second radius (R22) of a track of a second astronomical object; anddetermining a square of a third radius (R32) of a track of a third astronomical object using data produced by the star track sensor. 3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising: selecting the first astronomical object, the second astronomical object, and the third astronomical object from among a plurality of astronomical objects that are positioned along or within a few degrees of a spin axis celestial track of the orbiting artificial satellite. 4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the navigation data device is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to and has a field-of-view oriented perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the field-of-view of the star track sensor. 5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the precession rate includes at least one of a pitch rate and a yaw rate with respect to the star track sensor field-of-view. 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the precession rate is between ¼ degree/day and 1 degree/day. 7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein applying gyroscopic precession includes: providing at least one torque-producing device on a corresponding outer surface of the artificial satellite; andcontrolling at least one of an amount of current and a direction of current flowing through at least one of the at least one torque-producing devices to correct pitch and yaw. 8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the navigation data device is selected from the group comprising an Earth horizon detector, a planet detector, a sun detector, an Earth landmark detector, and a proliferated spinning satellite detector. 9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the star track sensor field-of-view is pointed at an ecliptic pole of the Earth, the method includes controlling the track sensor so that attitude of the spin vector remains unchanged with no precession when the star track sensor is pointed at the Earth. 10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the navigation data device field-of-view is pointed towards the sun, the method includes turning off or shielding said navigation data device from taking data when the navigation data device is pointed at the sun. 11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the orbit is selected from the group comprising a polar orbit, a low Earth orbit, and a high Earth orbit. 12. A computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer readable media having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being executable on a processor and comprising executable machine language or code for: deploying an artificial satellite in an orbit about the Earth;applying gyroscopic precession to the artificial satellite to maintain said satellite at a desired inertial attitude in inertial space;deploying the artificial satellite so that a spin axis of the artificial satellite is perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to sun lines; andapplying gyroscopic precession to the artificial satellite to maintain the spin axis perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to said sun lines in inertial space. 13. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 further comprising executable machine language to uplink and to downlink commands with a terrestrial-based control processor. 14. The computer program product as recited in claim 12, further comprising executable machine language for: determining a square of a first radius (R12) of a track of a first astronomical object;determining a square of a second radius (R22) of a track of a second astronomical object;determining a square of a third radius (R32) of a track of a third astronomical object using data produced by a star track sensor disposed at or near a spin axis of the artificial satellite, the star track sensor structured and arranged to have a small field-of-view and a line-of-sight at the spin axis of the artificial satellite; anddetermining a set of navigation orbital elements that in combination with an on-board clock provide an on-board, continuous, real-time navigation solution for the satellite in an Earth reference frame. 15. The computer program product as recited in claim 12, further comprising executable machine language for applying gyroscopic precession that includes: controlling at least one of an amount of current and a direction of current flowing through at least one torque-producing device on a plurality of outer surfaces of the artificial satellite to correct pitch and yaw. 16. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 further comprising maintaining an on-board, continuous, real-time earth navigation solution in an Earth coordinate reference frame using periodic Earth horizon fixes referenced to an on-board clock and using periodic star fixes. 17. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 further comprising maintaining an on-board look-up table of ground-site location and of earth navigation coordinates of other satellites. 18. The computer program product as recited in claim 17 further comprising providing communication links with any of the other satellites. 19. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 further comprising determining a set of navigation orbital elements that, in combination with an on-board clock, provide an on-board, real-time navigation solution in an Earth reference frame. 20. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 further comprising executable machine language or code for: maintaining an on-board catalog of terrestrial locations in Earth navigation coordinates;maintaining an on-board catalog of other artificial satellite locations in Earth navigation coordinates;providing at least one communication link between at least one terrestrial location or satellite location; andmaintaining an on-board, continuous, real-time, Earth navigation solution in an Earth coordinate reference frame. 21. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 wherein maintaining the Earth navigation solution includes: performing periodic star fixes; andperforming periodic Earth horizon fixes referenced to an on-board clock.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Kaplan Marshall H. (State College PA) Patterson Thomas C. (Campbell CA) Ramos Alberto (Beallsville MD), Attitude acquisition maneuver for a bias momentum spacecraft.
Fantar Fahem (De Gaulle Sartrouville FRX), Process for the control of a space craft performing a precession movement and apparatus for the realization thereof.
Challoner A. Dorian (Manhattan Beach CA) von der Embse U. A. (Westchester CA) Mitchell Mark P. (Playa del Rey CA) Chang Donald C. D. (Thousand Oaks CA) Fowell Richard A. (Palos Verdes Estates CA) Hua, Satellite attitude determination and control system with agile beam sensing.
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