Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Attitude control
Patent
1984-03-12
1986-05-27
Barefoot, Galen L.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Attitude control
244169, B64G 138
Patent
active
045911177
ABSTRACT:
An active nutation damping system for a spacecraft may comprise a nutation sensor controlling an actuator, a thruster say, via a control system so as to produce nutation opposing torques. Following the realization that performance limits on known systems may be due to a simplistic dynamic analysis which assumes the spacecraft to be a rigid body when it may in fact comprise one or more oscillatory elements, for example a fuel tank in which fuel is able to `slosh` about freely, the damping system herein is operable to identify two types of nutation component, for one of which appropriate opposing torque components are generated while, for the other type, torque components are generated that, at first sight, would appear to increase the nutation components but which, in fact, improve the overall nutation damping performance.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2806062 (1974-04-01), Hofmann et al.
patent: 4096427 (1978-06-01), Rosen et al.
patent: 4174819 (1979-11-01), Bruderle et al.
patent: 4189947 (1980-02-01), Friedland
patent: 4193570 (1980-03-01), Hoffman et al.
patent: 4370716 (1983-01-01), Amieux
patent: 4386750 (1983-06-01), Hoffman
Kaplan, Modern, Spacecraft Dynamics & Control, 1976, 379-394.
Barefoot Galen L.
British Aerospace Public Limited Company
LandOfFree
Spacecraft nutation damping does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Spacecraft nutation damping, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Spacecraft nutation damping will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1567918