Today In History
Chester Stone patented a washing machine.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7367529 | Momentum tube for distributed actuation An spacecraft control system is provided that includes a tube and a plurality of microwheels. The plurality of microwheels is disposed within the tube. Each microwheel has a first stator wafer, a second stator wafer, and a rotor wafer disposed therebetween. The firs... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7267303 | Method and system for providing cruciform steered, bent biconic and plasma suppression for maximum accuracy A system for reducing plasma induced communication disruption is disclosed. The system utilizes an electrophilic gas injectant, bent reentry vehicle nose shaping and a number of flaps configured to provide 3-axis steering capability. Injecting electrophilic gas inje... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7237752 | System and method for reducing plasma induced communication disruption utilizing electrophilic injectant and sharp reentry vehicle nose shaping The present invention discloses a system and a method for reducing plasma induced communication disruption utilizing electrophilic injectant and sharp reentry vehicle nose shaping. Injecting electrophilic gas into plasma accomplishes reduction of plasma induced comm... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7197381 | Navigational system and method utilizing sources of pulsed celestial radiation A system and method for navigation utilizing sources of pulsed celestial radiation are provided. A spacecraft, satellite, or other vehicle (12) has a pulse sensor (22) mounted thereto for detecting signal pulses (14) generated by a plurality of ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7102258 | Manual electric generating device The present invention discloses a manual electric generating device, which comprises an upper casing, a lower casing; a rotor, a fixed stand, a hollow cylinder, a coil for generating power supply; and a printed circuit board for processing and outputting the power s... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7062363 | Refinement of spacecraft angular velocity and attitude estimates using star data A method and apparatus for refining a spacecraft state estimate, such as an attitude estimate or an angular velocity estimate, is disclosed. The method computes a plurality equations using residuals describing the difference between observed star positions and predi... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7045702 | Solar-paneled windmill A solar-paneled windmill is provided having aerodynamic fan blades provided with solar panels. The windmill produces electricity using wind energy and solar energy. In another embodiment, magnets are provided to the solar-paneled windmill fan blades to generate magn... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7025307 | Method and apparatus for solar tacking momentum maintenance in long-duration deployment of a large reflector A method and an apparatus for controlling the attitude and momentum of a spacecraft while deploying an appendage from the spacecraft. The method uses solar tacking and similar techniques to produce differential solar torques that are used to control the momentum and... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6994296 | Apparatus and method for maneuvering objects in low/zero gravity environments An apparatus and method that make use of electromagnetic energy to maneuver an object, such as stop, slow, and/or divert a vessel or projectile in low and zero-gravity environments. The apparatus comprises an element capable of generating a magnetic field in the zer... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6942186 | Method and apparatus for propulsion and power generation using spinning electrodynamic tethers The present invention improves the orbital maneuvering and power generation capabilities of a system of a satellite(s) connected with a conducting tether(s) by spinning the system about its mass center at an angular rate which is relatively high compared to the aver... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6850737 | Antenna direction finding in mobile phones The present invention describes a communication system comprising a primary radio station (PS) and at least one secondary radio station (SS), intended to be in motion (MOT). The secondary radio station has at least one controllable structure (CS) for communicating w... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6745984 | Method of controlling the attitude and stabilization of a satellite in low orbit For controlling the attitude of a satellite placed on a low earth orbit, components of a vector Bm of the earth's magnetic field along three measurement axes of a frame of reference bound with the satellite (typically by means of a three-axis magnetometer) are measu... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6732978 | Combined propulsion system intended for a spacecraft The invention relates to a combined propulsion system for a spacecraft, combining an electric propulsion system and a tether propulsion system, characterized in that the electric propulsion system is an electrostatic system (EP) which has, on the one hand, a generat... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6685142 | Three-axis position control for low-orbiting satellites A three-axis attitude control for a low-orbiting satellite. A sensor which measures in two axes is a magnetometer, and a satellite is positioned on an inclined orbit at an inclination angle of approximately 25 degrees to approx. 90 degrees. The satellite ... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6634603 | Magnetic dipole tractor beam control system Spacecraft maneuvers (e.g., orbit transferring, stationkeeping and attitude controlling) of a first spacecraft are realized with conventional force and torque generators (e.g., thrusters and momentum wheels). Spacecraft maneuvers of a second spacecraft ar... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6471161 | Satellite attitude control system An attitude control system uses a first order partial derivative of an error signal, representing a difference between a commanded pitch attitude and a sensed, actual pitch attitude. The first order partial derivative forms a cross product with the Earth'... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6419191 | Electrodynamic tether control The present invention comprises apparatus and methods for using and controlling electrodynamic tethers. The apparatus taught by the present invention uses an interconnected multiwire (compared to the long, narrow single wires of the prior art) conductive ... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6371413 | Artificial satellite equipped with generators of magnetic and aerodynamic moments and control process for such a satellite Orientation system and process of an artificial satellite in low orbit. Aerodynamic control surfaces producing rotations of the satellite by upper-layer atmosphere are combined along two axes to magnetic couplers (1, 2, 3) producing rotating movements alo... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6356814 | Spacecraft magnetic torquer feedback system A magnetic torquer (10) for spacecraft attitude control, providing a torque that is controllable over an extended range greater than a normally used linear range, and thereby providing a higher ratio of maximum torque to device weight. In one form of the ... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6317660 | Method for using satellite state vector prediction to provide satellite sensor automatic scan inhibit and/or sensor switching A method for use on a satellite that automatically inhibits scanning of an Earth sensor to handle sensor intrusions by the sun, moon, or other celestial bodies. In implementing the method, a predicted state vector for the satellite, derived from an orbit ... | 11/13/2001 |
| 6292722 | Magnetic torquer control with thruster augmentation Apparatus and a method is presented for controlling yaw and roll excursions in a spacecraft having on-board components such as magnetic torquers, a roll thruster, momentum wheels, a wheel controller, an earth sensor, and a Digital Integrating Rate Assembl... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6275751 | Smart docking surface for space serviceable nano and micro satellites A smart docking surface consisting of closely spaced cantilevered sensor/actuator structures capable of precisely repositioning an object having a ferro-magnetic surface in contact with the smart docking surface. It is designed for use in a micro gravity ... | 08/14/2001 |
| 6263264 | Pseudo gyro with unmodeled disturbance torque estimation A pseudo gyro emulates mechanical gyros by software processes by processing space system appendage measurement data and reaction wheel tachometer data within reference and control systems of a satellite using principals of conservation of momentum to comp... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6254036 | Method and apparatus for spacecraft wheel desaturation A method and apparatus are provided that effect spacecraft wheel desaturation by controlling the magnetic torquers aboard the spacecraft. An attitude control system energizes a magnetic torquer coil or set of magnetic torquer coils using a power source ha... | 07/03/2001 |
| 6231011 | Satellite angular momentum control system using magnet-superconductor flywheels A torque/reactive momentum wheel control system for use in satellites for dynamic attitude maintenance and alteration where the flywheel of each momentum wheel is levitated by a high-temperature superconducting element repulsively interacting with permane... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6163021 | Navigation system for spinning projectiles A navigation system for spinning projectiles using a magnetic spin sensor to measure the projectile roll angle by sensing changes in magnetic flux as the projectile rotates through the earth's magnetic field is disclosed. The magnetic spin sensor measurem... | 12/19/2000 |
| 6141606 | Wheel speed control system for spacecraft with rejection of null space wheel momentum A spacecraft attitude control system uses at least four reaction wheels In order to minimize reaction wheel speed and therefore power, a wheel speed control means system is provided. The wheel speed control means monitors the wheel speeds and controls whe... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6138061 | Onboard orbit propagation using quaternions A method for controlling orbiting spacecraft uploads a plurality of parameters to an onboard processor, the parameters including a plurality of quaternion elements describing an inertial to orbit reference frame, and including radial position, radial velo... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6128556 | CMG control based on angular momentum to control satellite attitude Control moment gyros in an array are rotated to reorient a satellite. Gyro angle is selected from one of three values based upon whether the stored angular momentum for the desired angle is below a singularity free value, greater than the singularity free... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6116544 | Electrodynamic tether and method of use The present invention comprises an electrodynamic tether structure and a method of use. The structure of the tether taught by the present invention is a short, wide, interconnected multiwire (compared to the long, narrow single wires of the prior art) con... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6113034 | Method and apparatus for estimating effects of disturbance forces The attitude of a physical platform (62) is altered by a summation of forces from an attitude actuator (74), disturbance forces (80) and random noise (82). Attitude sensors (64) sense the attitude of the physical platform (62) and output measured attitude... | 09/05/2000 |
| 6108593 | Method and apparatus for estimating attitude sensor bias in a satellite A method and apparatus for estimating attitude sensor bias in a satellite system uses attitude sensors and a spacecraft control processor. Attitude sensors provide output signals, which may contain bias. The present invention interprets the signals, deter... | 08/22/2000 |
| 6098930 | Solid-state spacecraft with minimal moving parts A compact spacecraft (10, 22) having a potentially long life in orbit as a result of its use of non-moving and solid-state components entirely or wherever possible. Amorphous silicon arrays (14, 24, 44) are used for solar energy collection. Because the ar... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6089510 | Magnetic systems and methods for realizing spacecraft maneuvers Spacecraft maneuvers (e.g., orbit transferring, stationkeeping and attitude controlling) of a first spacecraft are realized with conventional force and torque generators (e.g., thrusters and momentum wheels). Spacecraft maneuvers of a second spacecraft ar... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6089509 | Spacecraft attitude control using electrical power subsystem A spacecraft (10) body (20) located in an external magnetic field (12) has a substantially unbalanced electrical power bus (18) that generates a composite local magnetic field The electrical power bus (18) substantially surrounds an external surface (22) ... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6076772 | Methods for controlling spacecraft attitudes without exciting spacecraft resonances Attitude-control methods are provided which eliminate or reduce structural resonances in spacecraft that are excited by momentum wheel imperfections. The methods are preferably practiced with an over-determined attitude-control system which is typically a... | 06/20/2000 |
| 6020956 | Pseudo gyro A pseudo gyro emulates mechanical gyros by software processes by processing space system appendage measurement data and reaction wheel tachometer data within reference and control systems of a satellite using principals of conservation of momentum to comp... | 02/01/2000 |
| 5957410 | Earth oriented satellite and process for controlling the position, nutation and spin A low earth orbiting satellite control arrangement according to the invention has an earth sensor for measuring roll and pitch of the satellite relative to an earth oriented moving reference system, a spin wheel mounted along an axis perpendicular to the ... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5906339 | Multiple axis solar sailing In a satellite (20), two-axis solar panel drives (56, 58) allow two degrees of rotational freedom of movement for solar panels (22, 24). Regulation of electrical current loops (46, 48) within the solar panels (22, 24) generates a magnetic field. When the ... | 05/25/1999 |
| 5865402 | Triaxially stabilized, earth-oriented satellite and corresponding sun and earth acquisition process using a magnetometer A triaxially stabilized earth oriented satellite is provided with an attitude control system. The attitude control system contains a controller, final control elements for generating control torques around each of three axes of a system of coordinates (pr... | 02/02/1999 |
