Orbital deployment module with a three-point space propulsion system
The three-point propulsion system for orbital deployment modules addresses inefficiencies in existing systems by optimizing size, cost, and control, allowing for enhanced satellite capacity and thermal management.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ARIANEGRP SAS
- Filing Date
- 2022-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing space propulsion systems for orbital deployment modules, such as satellites, are inefficient in precise directional control and are not optimized for size and cost, particularly those with a four-point thruster architecture, which complicates control and does not effectively utilize space for satellite capacity.
A three-point propulsion system with a balanced arrangement of propulsion units at the vertices of an equilateral triangle, utilizing a control unit to integrate pitch and yaw control, and optionally including auxiliary thrusters for stabilization and temperature management.
The three-point system reduces size and cost while enabling efficient control and utilization of additional space for satellite capacity, with improved thermal stability and simplified control logic.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Orbital deployment module with a three-point space propulsion system technical field
[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of space propulsion systems and more particularly to the architecture of a propulsion system for an orbital deployment module. Previous technique
[0002] In the field of aerospace transport and in other fields, the person skilled in the art continually seeks to improve the operation of their devices, in particular to simplify the physical elements which constitute them and to reduce their production costs.
[0003] Generally, space propulsion systems for orbital deployment modules, such as satellites or satellite-carrying modules, use as their main propulsion vector either an architecture based on a plurality of fixed thrusters distributed over two or four points, or an architecture based on steerable thrusters and a steer control system.
[0004] In a fixed-thrust architecture, four thrusters are generally used, distributed at the four corners of a square or rectangle according to the load distribution on the orbital deployment module. This type of architecture has the advantage of simplified control, and therefore a simplified software control architecture. This architecture effectively allows thruster control based on sending propulsion pulses to the thrusters, with the possibility of decoupling the propulsion along each of the two axes of an orthogonal coordinate system defined by the arrangement of the four thrusters.
[0005] Even if the control is simplified, this architecture is not optimal for ensuring the main function which is to move the deployment module in a precise direction orthogonal to the propulsion plane in which the thrusters are distributed on the four propulsion points. Description of the invention
[0006] The main purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a space-based orbital deployment module equipped with a propulsion system whose size and cost, excluding tanks, are reduced, the space gained being able to be used to increase the capacity of the tanks or of the housings intended to receive one or more satellites.
[0007] According to one object of the invention, a three-point propulsion system for an orbital deployment space module for at least one satellite is proposed. including: - a chassis comprising exactly three initial housings shaped to each receive a propulsion unit and at least one second housing shaped to receive a fuel tank, - at least one liquid fuel tank housed in a second compartment, - exactly three propulsion units, each propulsion unit being housed in one of the first compartments, and each propulsion unit comprising at least one thruster, and - a control unit configured to control the power supply and output of each of the propulsion units.
[0008] A three-point propulsion system significantly reduces size and cost compared to a four-point propulsion system. However, this reduction is not straightforward because it necessitates the use of a completely different propulsion control logic than that of a four-point system. In particular, the pitch control function is coupled with the yaw control function in the control logic. This reduction in size and cost is only possible with a more complex control system for the propulsion units.
[0009] In a first embodiment of the propulsion system, the first three housings can each be arranged at a vertex of the same triangle whose center of gravity of the triangle corresponds to the center of gravity of the propulsion system.
[0010] A balanced arrangement of the propulsion blocks with respect to the center of gravity of the propulsion system simplifies the control of the propulsion blocks.
[0011] Preferably, the first three housing units are each arranged at a vertex of the same equilateral triangle.
[0012] The use of a balanced arrangement offered by an equilateral triangle makes it possible to simplify the control of the propulsion blocks even further.
[0013] In a second embodiment of the propulsion system, the propulsion blocks may comprise the same number of thrusters, and preferably identical thrusters.
[0014] Having identical propulsion blocks makes it even easier to control the propulsion blocks.
[0015] In a third embodiment of the propulsion system, the chassis may have a shape, in a cutting plane comprising the three propulsion blocks, with a number of sides equal to a multiple of the number 3.
[0016] Such a geometric shape of the chassis of the propulsion system makes it possible to optimize the shape of the orbital space module equipped with such a propulsion system in relation to the space allocated by said space module.
[0017] In a fourth embodiment of the propulsion system, the chassis may have a hexagonal shape in a cutting plane comprising the three propulsion blocks.
[0018] In a fifth embodiment of the propulsion system, the chassis may further include a central housing shaped to receive at least one satellite intended to be put into orbit.
[0019] In a sixth embodiment of the propulsion system, the chassis may include a removable link interface for receiving at least one satellite intended to be placed in orbit
[0020] In a seventh embodiment of the propulsion system, each thruster can be oriented parallel to a main propulsion direction which is perpendicular to a plane comprising the three propulsion blocks, and the propulsion system further comprises an auxiliary propulsion system comprising auxiliary thrusters oriented in a direction perpendicular to the main propulsion direction.
[0021] The auxiliary propulsion system makes it possible in particular to generate propulsion in a tangential direction, in particular to rotate the propulsion system, and therefore the space module equipped with this propulsion system, around its main axis which corresponds to the main propulsion axis of the propulsion system.
[0022] This rotation of the propulsion system around itself, and therefore of the space module equipped with such a propulsion system, makes it possible to stabilize the temperature of the space module.
[0023] In one embodiment of the propulsion system, the control block can be configured to determine, at each movement of the propulsion system, the thrust that each of said three propulsion blocks must develop for the desired movement.
[0024] Preferably, the control block includes positioning sensors such as, for example, a star tracking sensor or, for example, a global positioning system (GPS).
[0025] Preferably, the control block includes a hash block configured to control the propulsion torque by hashing the power supply to the propulsion blocks with a hash time calculated for each of the propulsion blocks.
[0026] The use of a chopped control of the propulsion blocks makes it possible to limit the temperature rise of the thrusters compared to a continuous operation of the propulsion blocks.
[0027] According to another object of the invention, a space-based orbital deployment module for at least one satellite is proposed, comprising an enclosure configured to transport at least one satellite to be placed in space orbit, and a three-stage propulsion system propulsion points as defined above. Brief description of the drawings
[0028] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below, with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate an example of an embodiment without any limiting character.
[0029] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 schematically represents a cross-sectional view of a system of propulsion of an orbital deployment space module according to a first embodiment of the invention.
[0030] [Fig.2] Fig.2 schematically represents a perspective view of an orbital deployment space module according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0031] [Fig.3] Fig.3 schematically represents a cross-sectional view of a propulsion system of an orbital deployment space module according to a second embodiment of the invention. Description of the implementation methods
[0032] Figure 1 schematically represents a cross-sectional view of a propulsion system of an orbital deployment space module according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0033] The propulsion system 1 comprises a chassis 2, three main propulsion blocks 3, and three fuel tanks 4. The cross-sectional plane of [Fig. 1] cuts through the three propulsion blocks 3 and includes a first direction x and a second direction y orthogonal to the first direction x. The cross-sectional plane xy is orthogonal to a third direction z parallel to the main propulsion direction of the propulsion system 1.
[0034] The chassis 2 includes a central housing 5 intended to receive one or more satellites (not shown in [Fig.1]) intended to be placed in orbit by a space orbital deployment module on the side of said propulsion system 1. The chassis 2 further includes three first housings 6 shaped to receive each a main propulsion block 3, and three second housings 7 shaped to receive each a fuel tank 4.
[0035] Each main propulsion block 3 is arranged at the apex of an equilateral triangle 8 shown in dashed lines. The propulsion system thus forms a three-point propulsion system.
[0036] Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], each main propulsion block 3 comprises two thrusters 30. In one variant, each main propulsion block 3 may comprise a single thruster 30 or at least three thrusters 30. In another variant, the propulsion blocks 3 may comprise a different number of thrusters.
[0037] The thrusters 30 of a propulsion unit may be of the same type or of different types. The thrusters 30 may be, for example, gas ejection nozzles, or electric or ion thrusters.
[0038] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], the chassis 2 comprises a hexagonal shape with three first sides 22 and three second sides 24, the length of a second side 24 being greater than the length of a first side 22, and each first side 22 being adjacent to two distinct second sides 24. In other words, each first side 22 is separated from the other two first sides 22 by two second sides 24.
[0039] Each main propulsion block 3 is mounted on a first side 22, while each tank 4 extends along a second side 24 between two main propulsion blocks 3, on the one hand, and between a second side 24 and the central housing 5, on the other hand.
[0040] The tanks 4 can have any possible shape.
[0041] In a variant illustrated in [Fig.3], each main propulsion block 3 can be mounted on a second side 24, the three main propulsion blocks 3 being arranged at the apex of a triangle whose geometric center of gravity corresponds to the center of gravity of the propulsion system 1.
[0042] Figure 2 schematically represents a perspective view of an orbital deployment space module 10 equipped with the propulsion system 1 of Figure 1.
[0043] The module 10 comprises an enclosure 11 having a hexagonal shape in the xy plane corresponding to the hexagonal shape of the chassis 2 of the propulsion system 1 of [Fig. 1]. The enclosure 11 comprises an upper face 110, a lower face 112, three first lateral faces 114 and three second lateral faces 116, the three second lateral faces being longer than the first three lateral faces 114.
[0044] The upper face 110 includes a recess 50 communicating with the central housing 5 of the chassis 2 of the propulsion system 1 of the [Fig.1].
[0045] In addition, each second lateral face 116 includes two openings 118, each located near a first lateral face 114. The propulsion system 1 further includes auxiliary thrusters. Each auxiliary thruster is mounted on the chassis 2 opposite an opening 118 in the enclosure 11 of the space module 10. The auxiliary thrusters allow for controlled rotation of the space module 1 around its principal axis, which is parallel to the third z-direction. This rotation of the space module 1 allows for the homogenization of the temperature of the orbital deployment space module 1.
[0046] Preferably, the auxiliary thrusters on the same second lateral face are oriented in opposite directions, one being used to initiate a rotation in one direction and the other to initiate a rotation in the opposite direction or to cancel the rotation. course.
[0047] The invention thus makes it possible to provide a space module for orbital deployment equipped with a propulsion system whose size and cost, excluding tanks, are reduced, the space gained being able to be used to increase the capacity of the tanks or of the housings intended to receive one or more satellites.
Claims
Demands
1. A three-point propulsion system (1) for an orbital deployment space module (10) for at least one satellite comprising: - a chassis (2) having exactly three first housings (6) shaped to receive each a propulsion block (3) and at least one second housing (7) shaped to receive a tank (4), - at least one liquid fuel tank (4) disposed in a second housing (7), - exactly three propulsion blocks (3), each propulsion block (3) being disposed in one of the first housings (6), and each propulsion block (3) having at least one thruster (30), - a central housing (5) shaped to receive a satellite intended to be placed in orbit, and - a control block configured to control the supply and power developed by each of the propulsion blocks (3) and with a control logic coupling a pitch control function and a yaw control function.
2. Propulsion system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first three housings (6) are each arranged at a vertex (80) of the same triangle (8) whose center of gravity of the triangle corresponds to the center of gravity of the propulsion system (1).
3. Propulsion system (1) according to claim 2, wherein the first three housings (6) are each arranged at a vertex (80) of the same equilateral triangle (8).
4. Propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the propulsion blocks (3) comprise the same number of thrusters (30).
5. Propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chassis (2) has a shape, in a cutting plane (xy) comprising the three propulsion blocks (3), with a number of sides (22, 24) equal to a multiple of the number 3.
6. Propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the chassis (2) has a hexagonal shape in a cutting plane (xy) comprising the three propulsion blocks (3).
7. Propulsion system(l) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the chassis (2) further comprises a removable link interface (51) for receiving a satellite intended to be put into orbit.
8. Propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each thruster (30) is oriented parallel to a main propulsion direction (z) which is perpendicular to a plane (xy) comprising the three propulsion blocks (3), and the propulsion system (1) further comprises an auxiliary propulsion system comprising auxiliary thrusters oriented in a direction perpendicular to the main propulsion direction (z).
9. Propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control block is configured to determine, at each displacement of the propulsion system (1), the thrust that each of said three propulsion blocks (3) must develop for the desired displacement.
10. Propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the control block includes a hash block configured to control the propulsion torque by hashing the feed to the propulsion blocks (3) with a hash time calculated for each of the propulsion blocks (3).
11. Space module (10) for orbital deployment for at least one satellite comprising an enclosure (11) configured to transport at least one satellite to be placed in space orbit, and a three-point propulsion system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.