HIGH-EFFICIENCY REA OPTIMIZED STATIONKEEPING

摘要

A velocity change (DeltaV) thruster is operated on a spacecraft, which unavoidably causes attitude error. A reaction wheel (RWA) corrects the attitude. At the beginning of the thruster maneuver, the total attitude control momentum required to at least correct for the DeltaV thruster attitude errors over the duration of the entire maneuver is determined, and the RWA momentum may also be determined. Attitude control thrusters (REAs) are operated. The REAs are operated to correct at least the net DeltaV thruster induced attitude error, and preferably also to reset the RWA to its nominal momentum. The maneuver may be stationkeeping.