BACKUP WHEEL FOR A THREE AXIS REACTION WHEEL SPACECRAFT

Three-axis attitude control of a substantially zero momentum satellite is achieved by a control system which includes three mutually orthogonal reaction wheels and a fourth backup reaction wheel. The backup wheel is mounted on an axis which is skewed with respect to the axes of the three mutually pe...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: HUFFMASTER, NORMAN U, MUHLFELDER, LUDWIG
Format: Patent
Sprache:eng
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Three-axis attitude control of a substantially zero momentum satellite is achieved by a control system which includes three mutually orthogonal reaction wheels and a fourth backup reaction wheel. The backup wheel is mounted on an axis which is skewed with respect to the axes of the three mutually perpendicular wheels. Spacecraft attitude is normally maintained by torques developed by the mutually orthogonal wheels. If one and only one of the orthogonal wheels should fail to correct the attitude error on its associated axis, the backup wheel is caused to rotate and develop a torque to maintain spacecraft attitude.