Space Systems/loral, LLC

Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Byoungsam Woo

Srivatsan Kandadai

Kam K Chan

Mohammad Saghir Munir

John Hutton Cooper

Farid Ganji

An autonomous mobile device (AMD) moves through a physical space without human intervention. Data from sensors on the AMD is used to determine if the AMD has collided with an obstacle. In one implementation the sensors may include a microphone. A collision may produce in the structure of the AMD a characteristic sound that is detected by the microphone and recognized as indicative of a collision. In another implementation information about velocity of the AMD and output from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) may be used to determine a characteristic change in motion that is indicative of a collision. Data from the microphone and the IMU may be combined to improve the reliability of collision detection.

System for collision detection in autonomous mobile device

Three-axis spacecraft momentum management is performed for a spacecraft traveling along a trajectory, by an actuator including at least one thruster disposed on a single positioning mechanism. As the spacecraft travels along the trajectory, a desired line of thrust undergoes a substantial rotation in inertial space. When the spacecraft is located at a first location on the trajectory, the single positioning mechanism orients the thruster so as to produce a first torque to manage stored momentum in at least one of a first and a second of the three inertial spacecraft axes. When the spacecraft is located at a second location on the trajectory, the single positioning mechanism orients the thruster so as to produce a second torque to manage stored momentum in at least a third of the three inertial spacecraft axes.

Spacecraft momentum management

Spacecraft momentum management techniques are coordinated with station-keeping maneuvers or other delta-V maneuvers. A body stabilized spacecraft attitude is controlled, the spacecraft including at least one momentum/reaction wheel, and a set of thrusters. A first momentum storage deadband limit is adjusted, the adjustment being related to a first delta-V maneuver window. A momentum management strategy is executed with the adjusted first momentum storage deadband limit such that a first thruster firing that performs desaturation of the momentum/reaction wheel also provides velocity change beneficial to the first delta-V maneuver.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Byoungsam Woo