Triad National Security, LLC

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

Paul Stein

Nicholas Dallmann

Daniel Seitz

Michael Proicou

Adam Warniment

Jerry Delapp

Stephen Judd

John Martinez

Steven Storms

Justin Tripp

Kevin Peter McCabe

John Michel

Joseph Palmer

Logan Ott

James Wren

Hannah Mohr

Dean Prichard

Gayle Kestell

Kimberly Katko

Donathan Ortega

Robert Wheat, Jr

An attitude determination and control system (ADCS) may include relatively large momentum wheels (i.e., reaction wheels) for improved momentum storage and magnetic torque rods that enable low power sun pointing and dissipate angular momentum imparted during deployment or by differential drag on the space vehicle. The momentum wheels, magnetic torque rods, or both may be algorithmically selected and driven to perform various maneuvers.

Attitude determination and control system (ADCS)

A payload interposer (PIP) board provides an interface for hosting payloads on a space vehicle platform. Payload development may be performed via the PIP board in a manner that 'abstracts' the hardware of the space vehicle from the payload developer. The PIP board may include a host side payload interface connector that connects to a space vehicle and a payload side payload interface connector that connects to a payload. Power, CDH, and other space vehicle functionality may thus be provided to the payload from the space vehicle via the PIP board.

Space vehicle system and payload interposer (PIP) board

A compact SFS may can be deployed in small space vehicles. The SFS may have a small size, weight, and low power requirements. The hardware, software, catalogs, and calibration algorithm of the SFS provide highly accurate attitude information that can be used for pointing. For instance, accurate attitude determination may be provided that supports pointing of a deployable high gain helical antenna. A full 'lost in space' attitude solution, accurate to about an arcminute, may be accomplished in under a minute. The SFS may be fully reprogrammable on orbit, allowing continued algorithm development and deployment after launch.

Compact star-field sensor (SFS)

A payload interposer (PIP) system and its control software provide an interface between a space vehicle and a payload. The PIP board facilitates power and communications between a command and data handler (CDH) of the space vehicle and the payload. A microcontroller of the PIP board may control operation of the payload, format messages between the space vehicle and the payload, and extract data from the payload for downlink via the space vehicle.

Payload interposer (PIP) system and control software

A space vehicle may have a modular board configuration that commonly uses some or all components and a common operating system for at least some of the boards. Each modular board may have its own dedicated processing, and processing loads may be distributed. The space vehicle may be reprogrammable, and may be launched without code that enables all functionality and/or components. Code errors may be detected and the space vehicle may be reset to a working code version to prevent system failure.

Modular space vehicle boards, control software, reprogramming, and failure recovery

An ADCS module may be configured to use coordinate data fromD photodiodes in one or more sun sensors to determine a sun vector. The ADCS module may then use the sun vector in reference to its own body faced (BF) coordinate system to calculate a change in the orientation of the space vehicle. The change in orientation mechanism may be accomplished by reaction wheels, ion thrusters, or other orientation altering mechanisms. A miniature, intelligent star tracker may be included that improves satellite attitude determination and pointing accuracy. An improved reaction wheel assembly may be included that is more robust and suitable for inclusion in small space vehicles.

Attitude determination and control system (ADCS), sun sensor, and star tracker

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Los Alamos, NM, United States of America

Paul Stein