Propulsion system for satellite orbit control and attitude control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527607-B2
Application number	US-201313875190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2013
Priority date	May 3, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A propulsion system for the orbit control of a satellite with terrestrial orbit having an angular momentum accumulation capacity comprises a propulsion unit able to deliver a force along an axis F having a component perpendicular to the orbit, and a motorized mechanism connected on the one hand to the propulsion unit and on the other hand to a structure of the satellite, the motorized mechanism being able to displace the propulsion unit along an axis V parallel to the velocity of the satellite, and able to orient the propulsion unit so as to make it possible to control: a component of the force along the axis V, for orbit control, an amplitude and a direction of couple in a plane perpendicular to the axis F, for control of the angular momentum.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A propulsion system for orbit control of a satellite with terrestrial orbit having an angular momentum accumulation capacity, and for creation of torques contributing to controlling the angular momentum, the satellite being imbued with a velocity along an axis V that is tangential to the terrestrial orbit, the propulsion system comprising:
a propulsion unit able to deliver a force along an axis F having a component perpendicular to the orbit; and
a motorized mechanism connected between the propulsion unit and a structure of the satellite,
wherein the motorized mechanism includes:
a first motorized link connected to the structure of the satellite and configured to allow a rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular both to the axis V and to the axis F,
a first rigid offset arm,
a second motorized link configured to allow a rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular both to the axis V and to the axis F,
a second rigid offset arm connected between the second motorized link and the propulsion unit, and
the first motorized link, the first rigid offset arm, and the second motorized link being connected and positioned in series from the first motorized link to the second motorized link,

wherein the first motorized link or the second motorized link is configured to allow a rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the axis V,
wherein the motorized mechanism consists of three rotational degrees of freedom, two of the three rotational degrees of freedom being mutually parallel and separated by the first rigid offset arm,
wherein the motorized mechanism is configured to displace the propulsion unit along the axis V parallel to the velocity of the satellite and orient the propulsion unit so as to make it possible to control:
a component of the force along the axis V for orbit control, and
an amplitude and a direction of couple in a plane perpendicular to the axis F for control of the angular momentum.

2. The propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the motorized mechanism comprises means for supplying energy of the structure of the satellite to the propulsion unit and/or the motorized mechanism.

3. A satellite with terrestrial orbit with a propulsion system according to claim 1 , comprising a parallelepipedal structure, and wherein the propulsion unit and the motorized mechanism are maintained, in a storage configuration, against one of the faces of the structure of the satellite; the propulsion unit and the motorized mechanism being released and then reoriented in an operational configuration.

4. A satellite with terrestrial orbit with a propulsion system according to claim 1 , comprising a parallelepipedal structure, and wherein the first motorized link is fixed in proximity to the middle of an edge of the structure, and wherein the offset arm is maintained in the storage configuration against a face adjacent to this edge and substantially parallel to this edge.

5. A satellite with terrestrial orbit with a propulsion system according to claim 1 , comprising a parallelepipedal structure, and wherein the first motorized link is fixed in proximity to an edge of the structure, and wherein the first rigid offset arm and the second rigid offset arm are maintained in the storage configuration against a face adjacent to this edge and substantially parallel to this edge.

6. A satellite with geostationary orbit with a propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein a first propulsion system is fixed to the structure of the satellite by a north side with respect to the plane of the orbit, and wherein a second propulsion system is fixed to the structure of the satellite by a south side with respect to the plane of the orbit; the firing of the propulsion systems for several positions of the satellite on the orbit allowing the control of six orbital parameters of the satellite.

7. A satellite with geostationary orbit according to claim 6 , wherein the two propulsion systems are, in a configuration suitable for orbit transfer, positioned and oriented in such a way that the forces delivered by the propulsion units of each of the two propulsion systems generate a thrust on the satellite in a desired direction and according to a controlled couple; the aim of the couple generation being to aid the attitude control of the satellite or to aid control of the angular momentum of the satellite.

8. A satellite with geostationary orbit with a propulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein a first propulsion system is fixed to the structure of the satellite by a north or south side with respect to the plane of the orbit, and wherein a second propulsion system is fixed to the structure of the satellite by one and the same side as the first propulsion system; the firing of the propulsion systems for several positions of the satellite on the orbit allowing the control of six orbital parameters of the satellite.

9. A satellite with geostationary orbit according to claim 8 , wherein the propulsion units of each of the propulsion systems are oriented so as to deliver a force along an axis not passing through a centre of mass of the satellite, and wherein the simultaneous firing of the propulsion units is able to generate a zero couple.

10. A satellite with terrestrial orbit according to claim 8 , wherein the propulsion units of each of the propulsion systems are oriented so as to deliver a force along an axis not passing through a centre of mass of the satellite with the aim of generating a thrust having a significant component along the axis perpendicular to the orbit.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Celerier Bruno

Classifications

• B64G1/413 Primary

  Ion or plasma engines · CPC title

• B64G1/264

  mounted on adjustable booms or the like · CPC title

• B64G1/26

  using jets · CPC title

• B64G1/242

  Orbits and trajectories · CPC title

• B64G1/409 Primary

  Unconventional spacecraft propulsion systems · CPC title