Backup bearing and power transfer assembly for communication satellite

摘要

A bearing and power transfer assembly which includes a main bearing and auxiliary bearing for coupling a spun and despun shelf. The main bearing has a stator connected to the spun shelf, and a motor driven rotor connected to the stator of the auxiliary bearing. The rotor of the auxiliary bearing is connected to the despun shelf. Means are provided to maintain said auxiliary stator and rotor locked together until a failure of said main bearing occurs. A ground command frees the auxiliary bearing rotor and stator and a motor associated with the free rotor maintains a spinning torque on the despun shelf. Slip-ring and brush assemblies are included in each bearing assembly to provide electrical connections between spun and despun shelves.