Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Attitude control
Patent
1992-05-13
1993-09-28
Barefoot, Galen
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Attitude control
244165, 244166, B64G 124
Patent
active
052481182
ABSTRACT:
A spacecraft includes an attitude control system using one or more reaction wheels, the speed of which from time to time lie near and pass through zero angular velocity. When operated for extended periods of time at low speeds, the lubrication films are not distributed uniformly on the wheel bearings, leading to reduced lifetime. Reliability is maintained by a threshold comparator coupled to compare wheel speed with a lower limit value, for operating a torquer associated with the spacecraft body when the wheel speed drops below the lower limit, in a manner which tends to raise the wheel speed. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the lower limit is integrated with a wheel overspeed unloading.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4010921 (1977-03-01), Pistiner et al.
patent: 5020745 (1991-06-01), Stetson, Jr.
patent: 5058835 (1991-10-01), Goodzeit et al.
patent: 5123617 (1992-06-01), Linder
patent: 5149022 (1922-09-01), Flament
patent: 5201833 (1993-04-01), Goodzeit et al.
Cohen Walter J.
Goodzeit Neil E.
Paluszek Michael A.
Barefoot Galen
Berard C. A.
General Electric Co.
Meise W. H.
Young S. A.
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