US3559919A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Active communication satellite
Assignee: Bolkow GmbH
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Filing: 1968-06-05
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Granted: 1971-02-02
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Expires: 1988-06-05
Abstract
Abstract An active communications satellite which is stabilized as to attitude and to orbit includes at least one directional antenna rigidly mounted on a body portion. The antenna part of the generated surface of the body of the satellite in the operating condition is oriented toward earth. The other parts of the surface of the body are penetrated by control engines and their connecting parts which serve to control the attitude and orbit stabilization of the satellite. Some of the control engines are enclosed in the operative condition of the satellite by at least two unfoldable solar battery areas which are mounted on pivot arm members to permit them to be swung outwardly when the satellite is in space. A fly wheel is carried by the body for the attitude stabilization of the satellite and it rotates about the axis of symmetry parallel to the antenna plane. The satellite is advantageously constructed such that the apogee motor, the fly wheel, the electronic equipment and the fuel tanks are disposed so that they will be rotationally symmetric to the axis of symmetry of the satellite.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans Eckhard Sass
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 11:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/10; B64G1/1007; B64G1/22; B64G1/24; B64G1/26; H01; H01Q; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/27; H01Q1/28; H01Q1/288; B64G1/242; B64G1/2427; B64G1/42; B64G1/44; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S136/00; Y10S136/291; Y10S136/292
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
An active communications satellite stabilized as to attitude and orbit, comprising a satellite body having a planar surface with at least one directional antenna affixed to said planar surface said planar body surface with said antenna being orientable toward the earth, control engine means on said body for stabilizing said body in orbit and in attitude for orienting said antenna toward the earth, and solar battery means carried on said body and adapted to enclose at least a portion of said body and being unfoldable from covering said body for orientation at a position outside the surface of said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
An active communications satellite stabilized as to attitude and orbit, comprising a satellite body having a planar surface with at least one directional antenna affixed to said planar surface said planar body surface with said antenna being orientable toward the earth, control engine means on said body for stabilizing said body in orbit and in attitude for orienting said antenna toward the earth, and solar battery means carried on said body and adapted to enclose at least a portion of said body and being unfoldable from covering said body for orientation at a position outside the surface of said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 1, wherein said solar battery means comprises at least two unfoldable battery panels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 1, wherein said control engine means includes a fly wheel for stabilizing the attitude of said satellite, said fly wheel being mounted on said body for rotation about an axis of symmetry parallel to the plane of said antenna.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 1, including an apogee motor mounted on said body and oriented for discharging thrust gases from one end of said body, electronic equipment carried within said body, said control engine means including a fly wheel and fuel tanks, all of said apogee motor, said fly wheel, said electronic equipment and said fuel tanks being disposed rotationally symmetrical to the axis of symmetry of said satellite.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 1, wherein said solar battery means comprises a panel having solar batteries on each side.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
203 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 1, including an apogee motor mounted on said satellite body and having a nozzle thrust discharge extending outwardly from one end thereof, said control engine means including an engine mounted on said satellite body and having a thrust nozzle discharge oriented in an opposite direction to said apogee motor, said control engine means including at least two orbit correction engines arranged on substantiaLly diametrically opposite sides of said satellite and having a thrust discharge extending outwardly in respective opposite directions away from said satellite in a plane perpendicular to the axis of symmetry and which contains the center of gravity of said satellite body, and at least two pairs of engines on respective diametric opposite sides of said satellite body having thrust discharges extending in a direction for obtaining a turning moment about the axis of symmetry of said satellite body, at least two additional control engines mounted at one end of said satellite body on each side of said apogee motor for the generation of precession moments in the vicinity of the end of said satellite body and in a plane parallel to the antenna plane and in a plane containing the axis of symmetry.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 1, including electronic equipment contained in said satellite body having portions located adjacent each end of said satellite body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
An active communications satellite stabilized as to attitude and orbit, comprising a satellite body having a surface with at least one directional antenna affixed thereto for orientation toward the earth, control engine means on said body for stabilizing said body in attitude and in orbit, and solar battery means carried on said body and adapted to enclose at least a portion of said body and being unfoldable from covering said body for orientation at a position outside the surface of said body, said satellite body being of octagonal prismatic column configuration, a planar surface on a side of said body defined within two octagonal side areas, said antenna being mounted on a side of said satellite body on said planar surface, said planar surface being parallel to the axis of symmetry of said satellite body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
An active communications satellite stabilized as to attitude and orbit, comprising a satellite body having a surface with at least one directional antenna affixed thereto for orientation toward the earth, control engine means on said body for stabilizing said body in attitude and in orbit, and solar battery means carried on said body and adapted to enclose at least a portion of said body and being unfoldable from covering said body for orientation at a position outside the surface of said body, said satellite body being of octagonal prismatic column configuration, a planar surface on a side of said body defined within two octagonal side areas, said antenna being mounted on a side of said satellite body on said planar surface, said planar surface being parallel to the axis of symmetry of said satellite body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
198 words
An active communications satellite comprising an octagonal prismatic column body, having an octagonal first end and an octagonal second end, an apogee motor mounted adjacent said octagonal first end and having a thrust discharge extending outwardly from said octagonal first end, a control motor mounted on said octagonal second end and having a thrust discharge extending outwardly from said second octagonal end in an opposite direction to said apogee motor, said satellite body having planar side faces with one of said side faces extending over two portions of the octagonal configuration and being a planar surface in a plane parallel to the axis of symmetry of said body, first and second solar battery panels each including four foldable panel areas having solar batteries, each area being of a configuration to enclose a corresponding side face area of the octagonal prismatic column body, and means mounting said solar battery panels for orientation around the sides of said satellite body to cover said sides and for shifting to the exterior of said satellite body at a spaced location from each end for respective orientation of said first and second battery panels at opposite ends of said satellite when in orbit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
198 words
An active communications satellite comprising an octagonal prismatic column body, having an octagonal first end and an octagonal second end, an apogee motor mounted adjacent said octagonal first end and having a thrust discharge extending outwardly from said octagonal first end, a control motor mounted on said octagonal second end and having a thrust discharge extending outwardly from said second octagonal end in an opposite direction to said apogee motor, said satellite body having planar side faces with one of said side faces extending over two portions of the octagonal configuration and being a planar surface in a plane parallel to the axis of symmetry of said body, first and second solar battery panels each including four foldable panel areas having solar batteries, each area being of a configuration to enclose a corresponding side face area of the octagonal prismatic column body, and means mounting said solar battery panels for orientation around the sides of said satellite body to cover said sides and for shifting to the exterior of said satellite body at a spaced location from each end for respective orientation of said first and second battery panels at opposite ends of said satellite when in orbit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 9, wherein there are at least two directional antennas affixed to said planar surface of said octagonal body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An active communications satellite according to claim 9, including control engine means on said body for stabilizing said body in attitude and in orbit.
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) | 1974-02-01 | 1974-08-03 | 1975-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-01 | 1978-08-03 | 1979-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-01 | 1982-08-03 | 1983-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |