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:
Apr. 01, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 30, 2001
Darwin K. Decker, Hacienda Heights, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A satellite power distribution method for efficiently distributing power to satellite electric propulsion thrusters ( ) is provided. The satellite includes spacecraft loads ( ), an electric propulsion thruster ( ), thruster auxiliary circuits ( ), and a first power transformer ( ). The first power transformer ( ) has a primary winding ( ) coupled to a first energy source ( ) that supplies satellite power. A first secondary winding ( ) of the first power transformer ( ) is coupled to the spacecraft loads ( ) for supplying primary power. The power distribution method includes the steps of first coupling a second secondary winding ( ) to the first power transformer ( ) for converting the satellite power to thruster discharge power which is rectified. The rectified discharge power is filtered to obtain power that is supplied to the electric propulsion thruster ( ). Finally, satellite power is converted to auxiliary power for powering the thruster auxiliary circuits ( ).