Patent ID: 9108748
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
1. A satellite comprising: one or more electric propulsion thrusters and an attitude sensor, the attitude sensor including one or more of an earth sensor, a star tracker, a gyro and an inertial reference sensor; the satellite including: a positioning system that computes a position of the satellite in a dynamically changing orbit; a profile generator coupled to the positioning system that computes an ideal electric orbit raising profile of the satellite, to achieve target orbit values of perigee, apogee and inclination; steering apparatus, coupled to the attitude sensor, that generates error signals that are used to control the attitude of the satellite; wherein onboard the satellite, the ideal electric orbit raising profile and a true anomaly of the dynamically changing orbit are processed in order to compute a desired electric orbit raising steering profile to steer the satellite, the desired electric orbit raising profile including an electric thruster ignition phase, a burn phase, and a shutdown phase that are autonomously repeated, wherein during the burn phase, perigee, apogee and inclination of the satellite are simultaneously driven towards the target orbit values.