Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Attitude control
Patent
1984-11-19
1986-12-23
Barefoot, Galen L.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Attitude control
244164, B64G 126
Patent
active
046307907
ABSTRACT:
A system for controlling the velocity and attitude of an exoatmospheric projectile (10) that spins about a spin axis (z). Several thrusters (e.g., 1-7) are disposed along the outer surface (8, 9, 11) of the projectile (10) for performing three prescribed functions. The number of thrusters (e.g., 1-7) is minimized to save weight. As few as four thrusters (1-4) can be used to perform the three prescribed functions, which are: (A) reorienting the spin axis (z) in inertial space, by firing the axial thrusters (1, 2, 6, 7); (B) adding velocity to the projectile (10) in any direction, without a concomitant change in the orientation of the spin axis (z), by firing continually a combination comprising at least one of the thrusters (1-7); and (C) changing the projectile's spin rate (W), by firing one of the radial thrusters (3, 4). Nutation dampers, such as ball-in-tube nutation dampers (20), can be used to decrease the cone angle E and thereby improve the pointing accuracy of the spin axis (z).
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"Two Pulse Attitude Control of an Asymmetric Spinning Satellite," P. C. Wheeler, AIAA Guidance and Control Conference, MIT, Aug. 12-14, 1963.
Barefoot Galen L.
Corl Rodney
Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation
Radlo Edward J.
Sadler Clifford L.
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