US3558078A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Space vehicle attitude control
Assignee: Whittaker Corp
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Filing: 1967-08-21
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Granted: 1971-01-26
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Expires: 1987-08-21
Abstract
Abstract A system for controlling the attitude of a space vehicle which undergoes both spinning and coning motion wherein first and second gating means are serially coupled to deliver operating power to a thrust producing device mounted on the vehicle to generate a torque for reorienting the vehicle only when both gate means are simultaneously energized. The first gate means is energized by a first sensing device responsive to the spin orientation of the vehicle relative to the desired attitude in order to pass power for actuating the thrust producing device to produce at an appropriate point in the spin orbit an incremental torque tending to reorient the spin axis toward alignment with the desired heading. The second gate means is energized by a second sensing means responsive to the orientation of the vehicle in its coning orbit relative to the desired attitude in order to deliver the power pulses passed by the first gating means to actuate the thrust producing device only during predetermined portions of each coning orbit where the vehicle heading is closest to the desired heading.
Inventors
- 👤 Andre Lanzaro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:10
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/22; B64G1/24; B64G1/28; B64G1/281; B64G1/244; B64G1/36; B64G1/365; B64G1/369
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A system for controlling the attitude and coning motIon of a spinning space vehicle comprising: thrusting means positioned on said vehicle for exerting a thrust in a direction normal to the spin axis whenever energizing signals are received; first means responsive to the spin orientation of the vehicle relative to a desired heading for transmitting energizing signals to the thrusting means only during a small angular portion of each spin cycle to produce an incremental torque tending to reorient the spin axis towards the desired heading; and gating means connected in series with said first means and responsive to the instantaneous vehicle attitude relative to the desired attitude for blocking said energizing signals to said thrusting means except during a selected portion of each coning orbit during which the mean direction of the vehicle attitude is directed towards the desired attitude.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A system for controlling the attitude and coning motIon of a spinning space vehicle comprising: thrusting means positioned on said vehicle for exerting a thrust in a direction normal to the spin axis whenever energizing signals are received; first means responsive to the spin orientation of the vehicle relative to a desired heading for transmitting energizing signals to the thrusting means only during a small angular portion of each spin cycle to produce an incremental torque tending to reorient the spin axis towards the desired heading; and gating means connected in series with said first means and responsive to the instantaneous vehicle attitude relative to the desired attitude for blocking said energizing signals to said thrusting means except during a selected portion of each coning orbit during which the mean direction of the vehicle attitude is directed towards the desired attitude.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
157 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the desired attitude corresponds to the alignement of the spin axis along the line of sight to a fixed external energy radiating body; said first means includes a first sensing means responsive to energy radiated by said body for transmitting energizing signals to said thrusting means whenever the line of sight lies within a narrow radial sector having an angular extent corresponding to said small angular portion and extending outward from said spin axis, the radial axis of said sector being substantially normal to the radial direction of said thrust and aligned with the direction of the thrust; and said gating means includes second sensing means responsive to the energy radiated by said body for determining cyclical variations in the angle between the spin axis and the line of sight and for blocking said energizing signals to said thrusting means during a selected portion of each said cyclical variation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
128 words
The system of claim 2 wherein: the body is an optical source; said first sensing means is an optical slit sensor including a first photocell, a first optical system for imaging on said photocell, a field of view taken normal to the spin axis and including said radial sector on said photocell, and opaque means defining a relatively narrow elongated transparent aperture disposed between said optical system and said photocell to limit the image reaching the photocell to that portion of the field of the image reaching the photocell to that portion of the field of view corresponding to said radial sector and means responsive to an output signal produced by said photocell when the optical source is imaged thereon for transmitting energizing signals to said thrusting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system of claim 3 wherein: the thrusting means includes a signal energized reaction jet for producing a thrust directed substantially normal to said radial sector; and said first means further includes an energizing signal source and a first switch means responsive to said photocell output connecting said energizing signal source to energize said reaction jet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
The control system of claim 4 wherein: said gating means further includes a second switch means responsive to the output of said second sensing means and connected in series with said first switch means between said energizing signal source and said reaction jet, said second switch means remaining open to block said energizing signals to said thrusting means during a selected portion of each said cyclical variation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
108 words
The system of claim 5 wherein: said second sensing means includes a conical optical sensor having a second photocell, a second optical system for imaging the radiation from said body on said second photocell so that the proportion of the optical energy from said body being imaged on said second photocell is in inverse proportion to the angle between the spin axis and the desired attitude, and means responsive to said second photocell output for deriving the alternating current portion of said output and for delivering energizing signals to said second switching means only during the positive portions of the alternating current component of said second photocell output.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
110 words
An attitude control system for selectively controlling the operation of thrusting means mounted on a spinning space vehicle to denutate the vehicle and correct its attitude, the vehicle having a spin axis and a coning orbit about which the spin axis revolves, the control system comprising: first and second gate means coupled to operate the thrusting means only when both gate means are simultaneously activated; first means coupled to activate the first gate means whenever the vehicle assumes a predetermined position in the spin cycle; and second means coupled to activate the second gate means whenever the vehicle spin axis lies within a predetermined portion of the vehicle coning orbit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
An attitude control system for selectively controlling the operation of thrusting means mounted on a spinning space vehicle to denutate the vehicle and correct its attitude, the vehicle having a spin axis and a coning orbit about which the spin axis revolves, the control system comprising: first and second gate means coupled to operate the thrusting means only when both gate means are simultaneously activated; first means coupled to activate the first gate means whenever the vehicle assumes a predetermined position in the spin cycle; and second means coupled to activate the second gate means whenever the vehicle spin axis lies within a predetermined portion of the vehicle coning orbit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An attitude control system in accordance with claim 7, wherein: the first and second means are responsive to the same reference.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-25 | 1974-07-27 | 1975-01-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-25 | 1978-07-27 | 1979-01-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-25 | 1982-07-27 | 1983-01-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |