The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2020
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2017
Space Systems/loral, Llc, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Andrew E. Turner, Mountain View, CA (US);
Space Systems/Loral, LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A spacecraft operating in a low earth orbit having an altitude in the range of 160 to 800 km has a main body that includes heat dissipating electrical equipment and an earth-facing payload. Control surfaces on the spacecraft are articulated so as to: provide three-axis attitude control to the spacecraft main body using aerodynamic drag effects, such that the earth-facing payload is maintained in a selected orientation with respect to the earth; and control one or both of orbit altitude and period by articulating the control surfaces so as to regulate an amount of aerodynamic drag. The control surfaces include a first control surface disposed, in an on-orbit configuration, on a boom, the boom being mechanically coupled with the main body, and with one or both of a solar array electrically coupled with the electrical equipment and a thermal radiating array thermally coupled with the electrical equipment.