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:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 04, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Thomas R Parks, Hermosa Beach, CA (US);
John W Smay, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
John P Harrell, Mission Viejo, CA (US);
Assignee:
Hughes Electronics Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64G / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
244165 ;
Abstract
An apparatus for storing energy and actuating the attitude of a spacecraft includes a first gimbaled flywheel assembly having a first rotor rotating in a first direction, and a second gimbaled flywheel assembly having a second rotor rotating in a second direction opposing the first direction. The first and second gimbaled flywheel assemblies are adapted to store and release energy and to actuate the attitude of the spacecraft. The apparatus includes one or more non-gimbaled counter-rotating flywheel pairs that are adapted to store and release energy.