Precision spacecraft payload platforms

• US 7,547,870 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Liu, Ketao, Bender, Douglas, Sedivec, Peter J., Becker, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps; Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, DON J
• Application Number:
  US11/400,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20070210266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.2, 250/206.1, 250/206.2, 2502031-2033, 250/559.29, 342/358, 342/359, 342/360, 35613901-13903, 356/139.04, 244/164, 244/171, 244/172.5, 244/173.1
• US Class Current: 250/206.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49

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.

Claims

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

a plurality of first laser light sensing devices affixed to the structure distributed at different locations across 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 plurality of first laser light sensing devices to determine an orientation of the structure and derive distortion occurring in the structure;

wherein the structure connects the first fanned laser light source to the plurality of first laser light sensing devices and the structure comprises a spacecraft payload structure supporting a pointed payload and the determined orientation of the structure and derived distortion occurring in the structure are applied to reduce any pointing error of the pointed payload.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first laser light sensing devices each comprise a position sensing device (PSD).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first laser light sensing devices comprise three or more laser light sensing devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first laser light sensing devices are disposed proximate to a plurality of mounting points of a pointed payload.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pointing error includes jitter reduced from applying the measured position of the first fanned laser light beam to a payload pointing compensation device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second fanned laser light source for emitting a second fanned laser light beam towards the structure, the second fanned laser light source having a second substantially fixed orientation relative to spacecraft attitude sensors that is not coplanar with the first fanned laser light beam;

and

one or more second laser light sensing devices affixed to the structure and disposed to intersect the second fanned laser light beam for measuring a position of the second fanned laser light beam with each of the one or more second laser light sensing devices to determine the orientation of the structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the position of the first fanned laser light beam and the position of the second fanned laser light beam are combined to determine the orientation of the structure in all three axes.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first fanned laser light beam and the second fanned laser light beam are substantially orthogonal.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the position of the first fanned laser light beam determines bending of the structure about a first axis and the position of the second fanned laser light beam determines bending of the structure about a second axis and the position of the first fanned laser light beam and the position of the second fanned laser light beam combined determine torsion of the structure.

10. A method, comprising:

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 a plurality of first laser light sensing devices affixed to the structure distributed at different locations across the structure and disposed to intersect the first fanned laser light beam to determine an orientation of the structure and derive distortion occurring in the structure;

wherein the structure connects the first fanned laser light source to the plurality of first laser light sensing devices and the structure comprises a spacecraft payload structure supporting a pointed payload and the determined orientation of the structure and derived distortion occurring in the structure are applied to reduce any pointing error of the pointed payload.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of first laser light sensing devices each comprise a position sensing device (PSD).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of first laser light sensing devices comprises three or more laser light sensing devices.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of first laser light sensing devices are disposed proximate to a plurality of mounting points of a pointed payload.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising emitting a second fanned laser light beam from a second fanned laser light source towards the structure, the second fanned laser light source having a second substantially fixed orientation relative to spacecraft attitude sensors that is not coplanar with the first fanned laser light beam;

and

measuring a position of the second fanned laser light beam with each of one or more second laser light sensing linear measuring devices affixed to the structure and disposed to intersect the second fanned laser light beam to determine the orientation of the structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the position of the first fanned laser light beam and the position of the second fanned laser light beam are combined to determine the orientation of the structure in all three axes.

17. The method of claim 15, where in the first fanned laser light beam and the second fanned laser light beam are substantially orthogonal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the position of the first fanned laser light beam determines bending of the structure about a first axis and the position of the second fanned laser light beam determines bending of the structure about a second axis and the position of the first fanned laser light beam and the position of the second fanned laser light beam combined determine torsion of the structure.

14. The method of claim l0, wherein the pointing error includes jitter reduced from applying the measured position of the first fanned laser light beam to a payload pointing compensation device.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a fanned laser light source means for emitting a fanned laser light beam towards a structure, the fanned laser light source means having a substantially fixed orientation relative to a spacecraft attitude sensor; and

a plurality of separate laser light sensing means affixed to the structure distributed at different locations across 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 plurality of laser light sensing means to determine an orientation of the structure and derive distortion occurring in the structure;

wherein the structure connects the fanned laser light source means to the plurality of laser light sensing means and the structure comprises a spacecraft payload structure supporting a pointed payload and the determined orientation of the structure and derived distortion occurring in the structure are applied to reduce any pointing error of the pointed payload.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plurality of laser light sensing means comprises three or more laser light sensing means.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plurality of laser light sensing means are disposed proximate to one or more mounting points of a pointed payload.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the pointing error includes jitter reduced from applying the measured position of the fanned laser light beam.