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. 24, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 31, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
Keith Reckdahl, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Xenophon Price, Redwood City, CA (US);
Assignee:
Space Systems/Loral, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64G 1/24 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64G 1/24 ;
Abstract
Systems and methods that limit the effects of actuator saturation to certain body axes of a spacecraft. A plurality of actuators, or momentum wheels, disposed on the spacecraft are oriented non-parallel to x, y, and z axes of the spacecraft. The plurality of actuators each produce torque that is applied to the spacecraft. Outputs of the plurality of actuators or momentum wheels are processed to control the respective actuators or momentum wheels to manage actuator saturation so that saturation does not produce attitude errors about one or more predetermined axes of the spacecraft.