Satellite control system

Claim 1

For use with a satellite of the type including first and second solar collection panels rotatable about a common axis to a position normally tracking the sun, said panels extending in generally opposite directions away from the body of said satellite, a method for compensating for the effects of undesired torque applied to said satellite, comprising the steps of: (A) determining the magnitude and direction of undesired torque applied to said satellite; and (B) applying a compensating torque to said satellite to compensate for the effects of said undesired torque on said satellite by essentially simultaneously rotating said first and second panels in a first common direction about said common axis from said normal sun tracking position to respectively first and second compensating positions angularly offset from said normal sun tracking position.

Claim 17

A method for compensating for the undesired torque applied to an earth orbiting satellite by solar pressure or the like, wherein said torque produces undesired windmill and roll motions of said satellite, said satellite being of the type including first and second solar collection panels rotatable about a common axis so as to normally track the sun, comprising the steps of: (A) resolving said undesired torque into a vector quantity having a first vector component which urges said satellite to roll and a second vector component which urges said satellite to windmill; (B) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels in the same direction about said common axis from said normal sun tracking position respectively to a first compensation position and a second compensating position; (C) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels in the same direction about said common axis respectively from said first and second compensating position to third and fourth compensating positions, said first and third compensating positions being offset from said normal tracking position by θ 1 and -θ 1 degrees respectively, and said second and fourth compensating positions being offset from said normal tracking position by θ 2 and -θ 2 degrees respectively; and (D) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis from their respective said third and fourth compensating positions to said normal tracking position; whereby the orientation of said first and second panels produced by the rotation carried out in steps (B) through (D) compensates for the effects of undesired satellite roll and windmill motions produced by said solar pressure.

Claim 18

A method for compensating for the undesired torque applied to an earth orbiting satellite by solar pressure or the like, wherein said torque produces undesired windmill and roll motions of said satellite, said satellite being of the type including first and second solar collection panels rotatable about a common axis so as to normally track the sun, comprising the steps of: (A) resolving said undesired torque into a vector quantity having a first vector component which urges said satellite to roll and a second vector component which urges said satellite to windmill; (B) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels in the same direction about said common axis from said normal sun tracking position respectively to a first compensation position and a second compensating position; (C) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels in the same direction about said common axis respectively from said first and second compensating position to third and fourth compensating positions, said first and third compensating positions being offset from said normal tracking position by θ 1 and -θ 1 degrees respectively, and said second and fourth compensating positions being offset from said normal tracking position by θ 2 and -θ 2 degrees respectively; and (D) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis from their respective said third and fourth compensating positions to said normal tracking position; whereby the orientation of said first and second panels produced by the rotation carried out in steps (B) through (D) compensates for the effects of undesired satellite roll and windmill motions produced by said solar pressure.

Claim 23

A method for compensating for the undesired torque applied to an earth orbiting satellite by solar pressure, wherein said undesired torque includes undesired windmill and roll torque components urging said satellite to deviate from its prescribed attitude, said satellite being of the type including first and second solar collection panels rotatable about a common axis so as to normally track the sun, comprising the steps of: (A) dividing into segments the orbital path of said earth orbiting satellite; (B) determining the duration that said satellite will reside each of said segments; (C) determining the magnitude and direction of said undesired solar windmill torque and magnitude and direction of said undesired solar roll torque which will urge said satellite to deviate from said prescribed attitude during the duration of each of said segments; (D) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis, said first panel being rotated from said normal sun tracking position to a first compensating position and said second panel being rotated from said normal tracking position to a second compensating position; (E) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis, said first panel being rotated from said first compensating position to a third compensating position and said second panel being rotated from said second compensating position to a fourth compensating position; and (F) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis from their respective said third and fourth compensating positions to said sun tracking position; the rotating of said first and second panel in steps (D) through (F) producing a desired roll and windmill torque which are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction respectively to said undesired windmill and roll torques.

Claim 24

A method for compensating for the undesired torque applied to an earth orbiting satellite by solar pressure, wherein said undesired torque includes undesired windmill and roll torque components urging said satellite to deviate from its prescribed attitude, said satellite being of the type including first and second solar collection panels rotatable about a common axis so as to normally track the sun, comprising the steps of: (A) dividing into segments the orbital path of said earth orbiting satellite; (B) determining the duration that said satellite will reside each of said segments; (C) determining the magnitude and direction of said undesired solar windmill torque and magnitude and direction of said undesired solar roll torque which will urge said satellite to deviate from said prescribed attitude during the duration of each of said segments; (D) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis, said first panel being rotated from said normal sun tracking position to a first compensating position and said second panel being rotated from said normal tracking position to a second compensating position; (E) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis, said first panel being rotated from said first compensating position to a third compensating position and said second panel being rotated from said second compensating position to a fourth compensating position; and (F) rotating essentially simultaneously said first and second panels about said common axis from their respective said third and fourth compensating positions to said sun tracking position; the rotating of said first and second panel in steps (D) through (F) producing a desired roll and windmill torque which are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction respectively to said undesired windmill and roll torques.