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. 22, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 27, 2005
James W. Wehner, Torrance, CA (US);
Christian M. Harris, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Michael K. O'rell, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
James W. Wehner, Torrance, CA (US);
Christian M. Harris, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Michael K. O'Rell, Manhattan Beach, CA (US);
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A spacecraft including control vanes for controlling the pointing direction of the spacecraft by providing a variable absorptive, reflective, emissive and/or transmissive properties. The control vanes provide a torque on the spacecraft to maintain the spacecraft pointing towards the sun. The control vanes can include at least one x-axis control vane and at least one y-axis control vane where the xaxis control vane provides x-axis control torque on the spacecraft rotated about the x-axis, and the y-axis control vane provides y-axis control torque on the spacecraft when rotated about the y-axis.