Precision spacecraft payload platforms
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a first fanned laser light source for emitting a first fanned laser light beam towards a structure, the first fanned laser light source having a first substantially fixed orientation relative to a spacecraft attitude sensor; and
one or more first laser light sensing devices affixed to the structure and disposed to intersect the first fanned laser light beam for measuring a position of the first fanned laser light beam on each of the one or more first laser light sensing devices to determine an orientation of the structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One or more fixed-orientation fanned laser beams and one or more displacement measurement devices to precisely measure the orientation of a payload platform are disclosed in a metrology system and method. The measurement devices may be distributed at locations across a payload platform such that displacement changes of these devices can be used to accurately determine platform pointing. Laser beam transmitters may be fixed in the same reference block to which a spacecraft attitude sensor is mounted. Fanned laser beams are transmitted from these sources to the measurement devices so that their displacements can be determined with respect to the plane of the fanned beams and thereby with respect to the spacecraft attitude sensor. Only a small number of fixed laser beams are needed to achieve precision measurements at a reduced cost, weight and power, and with increased system reliability and simplified system integration.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first fanned laser light source for emitting a first fanned laser light beam towards a structure, the first fanned laser light source having a first substantially fixed orientation relative to a spacecraft attitude sensor; and
one or more first laser light sensing devices affixed to the structure and disposed to intersect the first fanned laser light beam for measuring a position of the first fanned laser light beam on each of the one or more first laser light sensing devices to determine an orientation of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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emitting a first fanned laser light beam from a first fanned laser light source towards a structure, the first fanned laser light source having a substantially fixed orientation relative to a spacecraft attitude sensor; and
measuring a position of the first fanned laser light beam with each of one or more first laser light sensing devices affixed to the structure and disposed to intersect the first fanned laser light beam to determine an orientation of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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a fanned laser light source means for emitting a fanned laser light beam towards a structure, the fanned laser light source having a substantially fixed orientation relative to a spacecraft attitude sensor; and
one or more laser light sensing means affixed to the structure and disposed to intersect the fanned laser light beam for measuring a position of the fanned laser light beam on each of the one or more laser light sensing means to determine an orientation of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification