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:
May. 25, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 07, 1996
Sibnath Basuthakur, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Rodrigo Ibanez-Meier, Chandler, AZ (US);
Bob Dennis Stratman, Tempe, AZ (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
In a satellite (20), two-axis solar panel drives (56, 58) allow two degrees of rotational freedom of movement for solar panels (22, 24). Regulation of electrical current loops (46, 48) within the solar panels (22, 24) generates a magnetic field. When the solar panels (22, 24) are tilted about an overturning axis (28), the magnetic field provides a component of a control torque about a pitch axis (30). An on-board processor (52) commands the panel drives (56, 58) and a magnetic torque actuator (60) to instantaneously and simultaneously damp disturbance torques about a windmill axis (26), an overturning axis (28), and a pitch axis (30). The processor (52) allows disturbance torque to be corrected continuously rather than periodically over the course of an orbit. Counter-disturbance torques (90) are applied (88) in synchronism with a satellite nutation frequency (76) but out of phase with the nutation so that nutation is damped.