John St Charles

US Patent:

20200377235, Dec 3, 2020

Filed:

May 29, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/425296

Inventors:

- Chicago IL, US
Gary E. Lemke - Torrance CA, US
John Preston Charles Mills - Redondo Beach CA, US
Cecilia G. Cantu - Playa Del Rey CA, US
Timothy S. Lui - La Crescenta CA, US

International Classification:

B64G 1/24
B64G 1/28
B64G 1/26
B64G 1/36

Abstract:

A control system for reducing disturbance torque of a spacecraft is disclosed. The spacecraft revolves around a celestial body surrounded by an atmosphere. The control system includes processors in electronic communication with one or more actuators and a memory. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control system to instruct the spacecraft to enter a safing mode. In response to entering the safing mode, the control system instructs the one or more actuators to align a principal axis of the spacecraft with a vector that is normal to the orbit around the celestial body. The control system also instructs the actuators to rotate the spacecraft about the principal axis, where a rotational orientation of the spacecraft relative to the celestial body is shifted by about one-half a rotation about the principal axis.

US Patent:

20200377236, Dec 3, 2020

Filed:

May 29, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/425303

Inventors:

- Chicago IL, US
John Preston Charles Mills - Redondo Beach CA, US
Christopher James Wasson - Torrance CA, US
Cecilia G. Cantu - Playa Del Rey CA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

B64G 1/32
B64G 1/28
B64G 1/36

Abstract:

A control system for a spacecraft for determining a resultant torque that is exerted upon a spacecraft by one or more magnetic torque rods is disclosed. The spacecraft is configured to revolve around a celestial body in an orbit. A magnetic field of the celestial body is predictable, and a direction of the magnetic field located around the orbit is fixed. The control system includes the one or more magnetic torque rods, one or more processors in electronic communication with the one or more magnetic torque rods, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control system to instruct the one or more magnetic torque rods to exert the resultant torque upon the spacecraft.

US Patent:

20200377240, Dec 3, 2020

Filed:

May 29, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/425282

Inventors:

- Chicago IL, US
Gary E. Lemke - Torrance CA, US
John Preston Charles Mills - Redondo Beach CA, US
Christopher James Wasson - Torrance CA, US

International Classification:

B64G 1/52
B64G 1/24
B64G 1/36
B64G 1/28
B64G 1/44

Abstract:

A control system configured to execute a safing mode sequence for a spacecraft is disclosed. The control system includes one or more star trackers that each include a field of view to capture light from a plurality of space objects surrounding the celestial body. The control system also includes one or more actuators, one or more processors in electronic communication with the one or more actuators, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control system to determine a current attitude of the spacecraft, and re-orient the spacecraft from a current attitude into a momentum neutral attitude.

Author:

John D. Charles

ISBN #:

0882906143

Author:

John Charles

ISBN #:

0810853728

Author:

John Charles

ISBN #:

0786408421