Maneuvering system for earth orbiting satellites with electric thrusters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046867-B2
Application number	US-201514858240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2015
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for mounting a thruster onto a vehicle. A thruster mounting structure may comprise a first, second, and third rotational joint, a boom, and thruster pallet, and a thruster attached to the thruster pallet. The first rotational joint may be attached to the vehicle and configured to rotate in a first axis. The first rotational joint may be connected to the boom and configured to pivot the boom about the first axis. The boom may be connected to the second rotational joint, which is connected to the third rotational joint and configured to rotate the third rotational joint in the first axis. The third rotational joint may be connected to the thruster pallet and configured to pivot the thruster pallet in a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for mounting a thruster onto a vehicle, the system comprising:
a first thruster mounting structure, the first thruster mounting structure comprising:
a first rotational joint attached to a vehicle, the first rotational joint configured to rotate in a first axis;
a boom connected to the first rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint is configured to pivot the boom about the first axis;
a second rotational joint, the second rotational joint attached to the boom and configured to rotate in the first axis;
a third rotational joint attached to the second rotational joint, the third rotational joint configured to rotate in a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the second rotational joint is configured to pivot the third rotational joint about the first axis;
a thruster pallet attached to the third rotational joint, wherein the third rotational joint is configured to pivot the thruster pallet about the second axis; and
a thruster fixedly attached to the thruster pallet.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thruster pallet comprises a rectangular face, and wherein the third rotational joint is configured to attach to the thruster pallet along a long edge of the rectangular face.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first thruster mounting structure is arranged in a stowed position such that the boom is positioned substantially parallel and flush to the vehicle and the thruster pallet is connected to the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the thruster pallet is flush to the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the thruster is facing a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first thruster mounting structure is arranged into a station keeping position such that the boom is positioned not parallel to the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the thruster is configured so that a thrust vector generated by the thruster points through a center of gravity of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first thruster mounting structure is arranged into an orbit raising position such that the boom is positioned substantially perpendicular to the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the thruster pallet is pointing in a direction substantially parallel to the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the thruster is spaced a distance away from the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first axis is one of: a roll axis of the vehicle or a yaw axis of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis anywhere within the pitch-yaw plane or pitch-roll plane of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first rotational joint and the second rotational joint are motorized rotational joints.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thruster is an electric thruster.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a satellite.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein a second thruster is attached to the thruster pallet.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second thruster is substantially identical to the thruster.

18. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second thruster mounting structure, the second thruster mounting structure comprising:
a fourth rotational joint attached to a vehicle, the fourth rotational joint configured to rotate in the first axis;
a second boom connected to the fourth rotational joint, wherein the fourth rotational joint is configured to pivot the boom about the first axis;
a fifth rotational joint, the fifth rotational joint attached to the second boom and configured to rotate in the first axis;
a sixth rotational joint attached to the fifth rotational joint, the sixth rotational joint configured to rotate in the second axis, wherein the fifth rotational joint is configured to pivot the sixth rotational joint about the first axis;
a second thruster pallet attached to the sixth rotational joint, wherein the sixth rotational joint is configured to pivot the second thruster pallet about the second axis; and
a second thruster fixedly attached to the second thruster pallet.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the vehicle comprises a rectangular prism, and wherein the first thruster mounting structure and the second thruster mounting structure are mounted on opposing faces of the rectangular prism.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first thruster and the second thruster are configured to control six degrees of freedom of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc
• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Glogowski Michael
• Austin Philip
• Bruno Dominick
• Lentati Andre

Classifications

• B64G1/264 Primary

  mounted on adjustable booms or the like · CPC title

• B64G1/26 Primary

  using jets · CPC title

• B64G1/40

  Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems · CPC title

• B64G1/411

  Electric propulsion · CPC title

• B64G1/415 Primary

  Arcjets or resistojets · CPC title