Three axis attitude control system
First Claim
1. An attitude control system for a body stabilized vehicle such as a spacecraft, comprising:
- a motor driven flywheel centered about one of three mutually perpendicular axes and being coupled to a relatively high speed electrical motor whose rotary speed and acceleration is controlled to produce a bi-directional controllable torque about said one axis;
motor control circuit means coupled between a power source and said motor and being operable to accelerate or decelerate said flywheel to produce a reaction torque about one of said axes;
circuit means coupled to said motor for feeding power back to said power source during motor deceleration; and
an active magnetic bearing, centered about said one axis, radially suspending said flywheel orthogonally along the other two of said three mutually perpendicular axes, said bearing further including electromagnetic circuit means for producing bi-directional controlled cross-axis torques of said flywheel about said two other axes, whereby a stabilized attitude of said vehicle in space is provided.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A three axis attitude control system for an orbiting body, such as a spacecraft, comprises a motor driven flywheel supported by a torque producing active magnetic bearing. Free rotation of the flywheel is provided about its central axis and together with limited angular torsional deflections of the flywheel about two orthogonal axes which are perpendicular to the central axis. The motor comprises an electronically commutated DC motor, while the magnetic bearing comprises a radially servoed permanent magnet biased magnetic bearing capable of producing cross-axis torques on the flywheel. Three body attitude sensors for pitch, yaw and roll generate respective command signals along three mutually orthogonal axes (x, y, z) which are coupled to circuit means for energizing a set of control coils for producing torques about two of the axes (x and y) and speed control of the flywheel about the third (z) axis. An energy recovery system, which is operative during motor deceleration, is also included which permits the use of a high speed motor to perform effectively as a reaction wheel suspended in the magnetic bearing.
79 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An attitude control system for a body stabilized vehicle such as a spacecraft, comprising:
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a motor driven flywheel centered about one of three mutually perpendicular axes and being coupled to a relatively high speed electrical motor whose rotary speed and acceleration is controlled to produce a bi-directional controllable torque about said one axis; motor control circuit means coupled between a power source and said motor and being operable to accelerate or decelerate said flywheel to produce a reaction torque about one of said axes; circuit means coupled to said motor for feeding power back to said power source during motor deceleration; and an active magnetic bearing, centered about said one axis, radially suspending said flywheel orthogonally along the other two of said three mutually perpendicular axes, said bearing further including electromagnetic circuit means for producing bi-directional controlled cross-axis torques of said flywheel about said two other axes, whereby a stabilized attitude of said vehicle in space is provided. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification