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. 27, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2000
Douglas H. Hein, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Rongsheng Li, Hacienda Heights, CA (US);
Hughes Electronics Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for directing a payload coupled to a spacecraft substantially at a target location is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining spacecraft orbital parameters and spacecraft payload attitude parameters; and directing the payload at the target location by applying a spacecraft bus steering law determined at least in part from the orbit and attitude parameters. The apparatus comprises a navigation system for determining spacecraft orbit parameters and spacecraft attitude parameters, and for applying a spacecraft bus steering law to direct the payload substantially at the target location. The spacecraft bus steering law is determined at least in part from the determined spacecraft orbital parameters, the determined spacecraft attitude, and determined payload attitude parameters. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a payload attitude control system for directing the payload relative to the spacecraft bus. The article of manufacture comprises a program storage device tangibly embodying a series of instruction for performing the above method steps.