Torque generation system, attitude control system for spacecraft, and relative position and velocity control system for spacecraft

Abstract

A torque generation system includes: a plurality of solar array panels and / or solar array panel divisions; and a torque controller configured to control an electricity generation ratio of each of the plurality of solar array panels and / or solar array panel divisions to generate torque.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to torque generation systems, attitude control systems for a spacecraft, and relative position and velocity control systems for a spacecraft. The present invention more particularly relates to a torque generation system, an attitude control system for a spacecraft, and a relative position and velocity control system for a spacecraft, which use a thermal radiation pressure generated from a solar array panel.[0003]Description of the Related Art[0004]The attitude of spacecraft, such as satellites and space probes, is disturbed by disturbance torque. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of various kinds of disturbance torque based on computation examples of disturbance torque with respect to the altitude of earth orbiting satellites, which is illustrated in “Recent Trends in Three-Axis Stabilized Satellites” by Susumu Nishida in the Journal of the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Vol. 2...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]The attitude control system may further includes: an attitude detector configured to detect the attitude of the spacecraft; and a target attitude setting unit configured to set a target attitude of the spacecraft, wherein the attitude controller may control the electricity generation ratio of each of the plurality of solar array panels and / or solar array panel divisions to generate torque that decreases a difference between a current attitude detected by the attitude detector and the target attitude.

[0039]Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for controlling a relative position and / or a relative velocity of a first spacecraft and a second spacecraft, including: the first spacecraft and the second spacecraft each including a solar array panel; and a relative position and velocity controller configured to control an electricity generation ratio of each of the solar array panels of the first spacecraft and the second spacecraft to cause each of the first spacecraft and the second spacecraft to generate thrust that changes the relative position and / or velocity of the first spacecraft and the second spacecraft.

[0043]The relative position and velocity controller may put the solar array panel of the first spacecraft in a maximum output state.

[0051]The torque generator according to the present invention can generate very small torque by using solar array panels that are also used as components constituting a spacecraft.

[0052]The attitude control system for a spacecraft and the relative position and velocity control system for a spacecraft according to the present invention can control the attitude of the spacecraft and control the relative position and velocity of the spacecraft with high precision and without causing turbulence, the attitude and the relative position and velocity being controlled by using the solar array panels mounted on the spacecraft without the necessity of mounting an additional device thereon.

Problems solved by technology

However, the amount of fuel mountable on a spacecraft is limited, and the thruster is not operable once the fuel is exhausted.

As illustrated in Table 1, the Solar-B project requires a degree of attitude stabilization which is difficult for existing wheels to achieve.

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