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. 11, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2000
Garry Didinsky, Morton Grove, IL (US);
Arunkumar P. Nayak, Van Nuys, CA (US);
Rongsheng Li, Hacienda Heights, CA (US);
Yeong-Wei A. Wu, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Jeffrey A. Kurland, Marina Del Rey, CA (US);
David D. Needelman, Torrance, CA (US);
Hughes Electronics Corp., El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A star tracker coupled to the spacecraft having a star catalog associated therewith. A sun sensor is coupled to the spacecraft. A control processor is coupled to the star tracker and the sun sensor. The processor obtains star data using a star tracker and an on-board star catalog. The processor generates a coarse attitude of the spacecraft as a function of the star data, and establishes a track on at least one star in the on-board star catalog. The processor calculates a sun tracking rate, and obtains a normal phase attitude as a function of the star data and the coarse attitude. The information is used to slew the spacecraft to a desired attitude.