Universal spacecraft attitude steering control system

• US 5,692,707 A
• Filed: 05/15/1995
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Smay, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARQUIS, LISSI MOJICA
• Application Number:
  US08/441,359
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 244/164, 244/165, 244/176, 244/177, 244/195, 364/434
• US Class Current: 244/165
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/244 Spacecraft control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/281 Spin-stabilised spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/285 using momentum wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/286 using control momentum gyroscopes (CMGs)

Abstract

A method and system of attitude steering and momentum management for a spacecraft suitable over a wide range of orbit altitude and inclination parameters and a similar wide range of mission steering profiles is provided. The system utilizes two active momentum wheels positioned with their spin axes nominally coaligned on the spacecraft pitch axis. Each wheel is pivoted by jackscrew type mechanisms which allow the angular momentum to be tilted (e.g. within the range 0-45° from the nominal alignment with respect to the spacecraft body). The spacecraft control processor generates wheel torque commands for the wheel speed electronics and jackscrew drive commands for the platform assemblies in order to adjust the speed and amount of tilt of the momentum wheels. The invention provides a two-momentum wheel array that allows use of either momentum bias steering or large angle zero-momentum steering and accommodates multiple orbit geometries and varying degrees of attitude steering agility.

Claims

1. An attitude steering and momentum management system for a spacecraft having a body and a first axis, said system comprising:

a first active momentum wheel disposed within said body and rotatable about a first spin axis substantially co-aligned with said first axis, wherein rotation of said first momentum wheel produces a first momentum directed along said first spin axis;

a second active momentum wheel disposed within said body and rotatable about a second spin axis substantially co-aligned with said first axis, wherein rotation of said second momentum wheel produces a second momentum directed along said second spin axis;

first mounting means for mounting said first momentum wheel in said body, said first mounting means controlling tilting of said first momentum wheel about two axes orthogonal to said first spin axis;

second mounting means for mounting said second momentum wheel in said body, said second mounting means controlling tilting of said second momentum wheel about two axes orthogonal to said second spin axis; and

a processor in communication with said first and second momentum wheels and said first and second mounting means for controlling the tilting of said first and second spin axes, the direction of rotation of said first and second momentum wheels and the rotational speed of said first and second momentum wheels,

wherein said processor controls the rotational speed, direction of rotation and tilting of said first and second momentum wheels for desired orbit attitude steering selected from the group consisting of momentum-bias steering and zero-momentum steering.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second mounting means each comprise gimbal means.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second mounting means each comprise two-degree-of-freedom flexible pivot means.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second mounting means each comprise jackscrew mechanisms.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second mounting means each control tilting of its respective momentum wheel within the range from 0°

-45°

.

6. A control system for a spacecraft including attitude steering and momentum management functions, the system comprising:

a body having three mutually orthogonal axes including a pitch axis, a roll axis, and a yaw axis;

a first active gimbaled momentum wheel disposed within the body and reversibly rotatable about a first spin axis substantially co-aligned with the pitch axis, wherein rotation of said first gimbaled momentum wheel produces a first momentum directed along the first spin axis;

a second active gimbaled momentum wheel disposed within the body and reversibly rotatable about a second spin axis substantially co-aligned with the pitch axis, wherein rotation of said second gimbaled momentum wheel produces a second momentum directed along the second spin axis; and

a processor in communication with said first and second gimbaled momentum wheels for controlling alignment of the first and second spin axes to effect attitude steering, and the speed and direction of rotation of said first and second gimbaled momentum wheels to effect momentum management,

said first and second momentum wheels being gimbaled by jackscrew mechanisms and said first and second spin axes being tiltable within the range of 0°

-45°

from the pitch axis.

7. The control system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said attitude steering is selected from the group comprising momentum-bias steering and zero-momentum steering.

8. A method of securing multiple orbit geometries and varying degrees of attitude steering of a spacecraft from a two active momentum wheel array, said method comprising:

a) rotating a first of said momentum wheels in a first prespecified direction and at a first prespecified speed around a first prespecified spin axis;

b) rotating the second of said momentum wheels in a second prespecified direction and at a second prespecified speed around a second prespecified spin axis which is substantially co-aligned with the first spin axis;

c) tilting said first momentum wheel a prespecified amount from said first spin axis;

d) tilting said second momentum wheel a prespecified amount from said second spin axis;

e) measuring spacecraft roll and pitch attitude using spacecraft sensors and forming corresponding roll and pitch measurement signals;

f) producing command roll and pitch attitude control signals for an attitude steering maneuver;

g) generating torque commands;

h) applying said torque commands with maneuver sequencing logic to alter the attitude of said spacecraft.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said tilting of said first and second momentum wheels is accomplished by jackscrew mechanisms.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first and second momentum wheels are tilting within the range from 0°

to 45°

.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said attitude steering is selected from the group comprising momentum-bias steering and zero-momentum steering.

12. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first and second momentum wheels are each double gimble control movement gyros.