Active nutation control system for space vehicle
Patent 4370716 Issued on January 25, 1983. Estimated Expiration Date: 
January 25, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
January 25, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References 3558078 3624367 3643897 Nutation and roll error angle correction means Satellite nutation attenuation apparatus Elimination of residual spacecraft nutation due to propulsive torques Nutation damping in dual-spin stabilized devices Controller for the attitude stabilization of a satellite Patent #: 4174819 InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 06/114197 filed on 01/22/1980US Classes:701/13, Spacecraft or satellite244/169, By jet motor244/3.22, Fluid reaction type701/226Space orbits or pathsExaminersPrimary: Gruber, Felix D.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesG05D 1/08 (20060101)B64G 1/38 (20060101) B64G 1/24 (20060101) Foreign Application Priority Data1979-01-23 FRAbstractAn active nutation control system for a space vehicle spinning about a geometric axis has thrusters for creating an external torque about an axis transverse to the first. The amplitude of the nutation and its phase in relation with the spinning movement are detected. A control arrangement receives signals from the nutation detectors, computes the changes in the angular direction of the angular momentum of the vehicle caused by thruster activation and energizes the thrusters when contemporaneously the amplitude of the nutation movement is greater than a predetermined threshold, the phase corresponds to maximum efficiency of said thrusters in reducing nutation momentum of the vehicle or at least does not increase it. | |
