Maneuvering system for earth orbiting satellites with electric thrusters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10745151-B2
Application number	US-201816103337-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A thruster system for mounting onto a space structure, the system comprising:
a first rotational joint, the first rotational joint configured to rotate in an axis;
a support connected to the first rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint is configured to pivot the support in rotation;
a second rotational joint, the second rotational joint attached to the support and configured to rotate in a 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 in rotation;
a thruster pallet attached to the third rotational joint, wherein the third rotational joint is configured to pivot the thruster pallet in rotation; 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 axis is one of: a roll axis of the vehicle and a yaw axis of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis anywhere within the pitch-yaw plane or pitch-roll plane of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first rotational joint, the second rotational joint, and the third rotational joint are motorized rotational joints.

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

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

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second thruster is substantially identical to the thruster.

9. A thruster system comprising:
a mounting structure for attaching to a space vehicle, the mounting structure including:
a first rotational joint, the first rotational joint configured to rotate in an axis;
a boom connected to the first rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint is configured to pivot the boom in rotation;
a second rotational joint, the second rotational joint attached to the support and configured to rotate in a first axis; and
a third rotational joint attached to the second rotational joint, the third rotational joint configured to rotate in a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the second rotational joint is configured to pivot the third rotational joint in rotation; and

a thruster structure configured for attachment to the mounting structure via the third rotational joint, the thruster structure including:
a thruster pallet, wherein the third rotational joint is configured to pivot the thruster pallet in rotation; and
a thruster fixedly attached to the thruster pallet.

10. A space structure comprising:
a first rotational joint attached to the space structure, the first rotational joint configured to rotate in an axis;
a support connected to the first rotational joint, wherein the first rotational joint is configured to pivot the support in rotation;
a second rotational joint, the second rotational joint attached to the support and configured to rotate in a 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 in rotation;
a thruster pallet attached to the third rotational joint, wherein the third rotational joint is configured to pivot the thruster pallet in rotation; and
a thruster fixedly attached to the thruster pallet.

11. The space structure of claim 10 , wherein the first rotational joint is attached to the space structure via a thruster mounting structure.

12. The space structure of claim 10 , wherein the thruster pallet is configurable into a stowed position where the support is positioned substantially flush with the space structure and the thruster pallet is directly connected to the space structure.

13. The space structure of claim 10 , wherein the thruster pallet is configurable into a station keeping position where the support is not flush with the vehicle and the thruster pallet is not directly connected to the space structure.

14. The space structure of claim 10 , wherein the thruster is configurable so that a thrust vector generated by the thruster points through a center of gravity of the space structure.

15. The space structure of claim 10 , wherein the thruster pallet is configurable into an orbit raising position where the support is positioned substantially perpendicular to the space structure.

16. The space structure of claim 10 , further comprising:
a fourth rotational joint attached to the space structure, the fourth rotational joint configured to rotate in an axis;
a second support connected to the fourth rotational joint, wherein the fourth rotational joint is configured to pivot the second support in rotation;
a fifth rotational joint, the fifth rotational joint attached to the second support 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 that is perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the fifth rotational joint is configured to pivot the sixth rotational joint in rotation;
a second thruster pallet attached to the sixth rotational joint, wherein the sixth rotational joint is configured to pivot the second thruster pallet in rotation; and
a thruster fixedly attached to the second thruster pallet.

17. The space structure of claim 16 , wherein the thruster pallet and the second thruster pallet are configured to control six degrees of freedom of the space structure.

Assignees

• Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B64G1/264 Primary

  mounted on adjustable booms or the like · CPC title

• B64G1/411

  Electric propulsion · CPC title

• B64G1/26 Primary

  using jets · CPC title

• B64G1/40

  Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems · CPC title

• B64G1/406

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic