Patent ID: 6076765
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: F41G,G01S

Abstract:
A method for guiding a spinning projectile to a target, comprising the steps of:a) providing a plurality of divert thrusters around a radial periphery of the projectile, each thruster being adapted to provide a vector force directed toward the center of mass of the projectile;b) providing an image of the target on a reticle secured stationary with respect to the projectile and the reticle centered on the longitudinal axis of the projectile, such that an image centered on the reticle means that no trajectory correction is required, while an image displaced from the center of the reticle at a radial distance means that correction is required to the projectile trajectory;c) moving the image in a circle on the reticle to generate a plurality of pulses for each complete rotation of said reticle, said pulses being indicative of the distance of the image from the center of the reticle;d) said reticle generating a unique, unambiguous and singly periodic signal at least once each complete reticle revolution to provide a reference point for firing at least one of the plurality of divert thrusters to correct the trajectory of the projectile; ande) sequencing and firing at least one of the plurality of divert thrusters to reorient the projectile spin axis such that the radial distance of the image from the center of the reticle is reduced.