EFFICIENT STATIONKEEPING DESIGN FOR MIXED FUEL SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO A FAILURE OF AN ELECTRIC THRUSTER

摘要

Apparatus and methods for stationkeeping in a satellite. The satellite includes a north electric thruster and a south electric installed on a zenith side, an east chemical thruster installed on an east side, and a west chemical thruster installed on a west side. An orbit controller detects a failure of one of the electric thrusters. In response to the failure, the orbit controller controls a burn of the remaining electric thruster proximate to an orbital node. The orbit controller controls a burn of one of the chemical thrusters at 90°±5° from the burn of the remaining electric thruster, and controls a burn of the other one of the chemical thrusters at 270°±5° from the burn of the remaining electric thruster.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
an orbit controller configured to control stationkeeping maneuvers of a satellite, wherein the satellite comprises:
a satellite bus having a nadir side configured to face the Earth and a zenith side opposite the nadir side;a north electric thruster installed toward a north region of the zenith side and oriented downward to produce thrust through a center of mass of the satellite;a south electric thruster installed toward a south region of the zenith side and oriented upward to produce thrust through the center of mass of the satellite;an east chemical thruster installed on an east side of the satellite bus to produce thrust through the center of mass of the satellite; anda west chemical thruster installed on a west side of the satellite bus to produce thrust through the center of mass of the satellite; and the orbit controller is configured to detect a failure of one of the electric thrusters, and in response to the failure, to:
control a burn of the remaining electric thruster proximate to an orbital node;control a burn of one of the chemical thrusters at 90°±5° from the burn of the remaining electric thruster; andcontrol a burn of the other one of the chemical thrusters at 270°±5° from the burn of the remaining electric thruster.