Messerschmitt-boelkow-blohm Gesellschaft MIT Beschraenkter Haftung

Daimler-benz Aerospace Ag

Rolf Keeve

Michael Surauer

Eveline Gottzein

Nahit Ertongur

An arrangement for attitude control and stabilization of a three-axis stabilized, bias momentum spacecraft which is equipped with a spin wheel arrangement that is capable of generating an angular momentum vector in a predeterminable direction, as well as control torques about all three axes of a spacecraft fixed system of coordinates, independently of one another. The control arrangement is equipped with an attitude sensor, which measures the attitude deviation about a first lateral axis (roll axis) oriented perpendicularly to the predetermined direction, with actuators for generating external control torques. A decoupling controller uses the deviations signal (roll angle phi) and takes into account the magnitude of the angular momentum generated by the spin wheel momentum arrangement, to provide a control signal which causes unidirectional decoupling of the roll dynamics from the yaw dynamics, for the spin wheel arrangement for generating a control torque about a second lateral axis (yaw axis) which is orthogonal to the predeterminable direction and to the first lateral axis.

Arrangement for attitude control and stabilization of a three axes

The air gap between the rail or rails and an electromagnetically levitated ehicle is optimally controlled with regard to the power or energy consumption. This result is achieved by a control employing two control channels. One control channel is constructed as a non-linear support or guide controller for regulating or contolling the air gap width in response to disturbances of short duration. The other control channel is constructed to cause a reduction of the air gap width or rather of the rated air gap width for adapting of the air gap width to the spectrum and amplitude distribution of the disturbances to which the levitated vehicle is exposed. This type of control may be employed for the regulating of the air gap between the support magnets and the respective rail and also for controlling the air gap between the guide magnet and the respective rail to reduce the energy required for maintaining these air gaps at an optimally efficient width.

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Ottobrunn, Germany

Rolf Keeve