Using reflected solar radiation pressure to provide stationkeeping

Abstract

Methods that provide stationkeeping maneuvering of a yaw steered spacecraft that orbits around a central body, such as the Earth, and experiences solar radiation pressure produced by the sun. The methods comprise the following steps. A spacecraft having a solar array is launched into orbit at a desired orbital location. Once the spacecraft is in orbit at the desired orbital location, a reflected component of the solar radiation pressure is caused to selectively apply a force to the spacecraft that moves the spacecraft to perform stationkeeping maneuvers. The reflected component of the solar radiation pressure may be caused to selectively apply a force to the spacecraft in two exemplary ways. In one embodiment, the spacecraft is yaw steered to follow a yaw steering profile so that the axis of the solar array is substantially normal to a plane containing the sun vector and nadir vector. The orbit of the spacecraft is then controlled to provide stationkeeping by applying an additional bias to the yaw steering profile. In another exemplary embodiment, the orbit is controlled to provide stationkeeping by tilting (or rotating) the solar array so that the solar array is at a predetermined angle relative to the sun vector. The additional bias or tilting may be applied as a command from a control station that is remotely located from the spacecraft (on the Earth), or applied as a command in a command and control system on the spacecraft.