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:
May. 20, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2001
Alois Wittmann, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
A thruster system for spacecraft includes a thruster, a thruster mounting boom, a gimbals mechanism connecting the thruster to the thruster mounting boom, and a pivot mechanism connected to the thruster mounting boom, where the pivot mechanism attaches the thruster mounting boom to a spacecraft. A method includes steps of providing a first thruster mounted on a pivoting thruster mounting boom attached to a spacecraft; using the first thruster at a first position, for example, a north pointing position, to provide orbit control; repositioning the first thruster to a second position, for example, a south pointing position; and using the first thruster at the second position to provide orbit control so as to provide redundancy for a failed second thruster by repositioning the first thruster.