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:
Aug. 23, 2022
Filed:
Oct. 04, 2018
The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Jerome K. Fuller, Van Nuys, CA (US);
THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
To reduce space debris and decrease risks for future space flights and currently operating satellites, NASA requires all satellites to have an end of life deorbiting plan to prevent satellites from having long and indefinite orbit lifespan. Accordingly, disclosed herein are systems and methods for deploying a deorbiting drag device to dramatically decrease the orbit lifespan of satellites. One of the methods comprises: providing power, using a photovoltaic panel, to a central processing unit (CPU) of the satellite; determining, using a health sensor, a health status of the satellite by monitoring activities of the CPU; and releasing a deorbiting drag device based on the health status by diverting power from the photovoltaic panel to a release actuator.