Patent ID: 9004408
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
1. A satellite inclination control method comprising: tracking inclination vector cycles for a satellite in near geosynchronous orbit; and performing a plurality of thruster firings of quasi-continuous inclination deltas each day over several days to counter growth of the inclination vector cycles; wherein the quasi-continuous inclination deltas ensure that an osculating inclination vector of the satellite is centered on an ideal continuously controlled osculating trajectory between episodic inclination maneuver deltas; the quasi-continuous inclination deltas from each thruster firing providing an approximation to a continuous inclination vector control rate; and wherein the quasi-continuous inclination deltas provide a closed loop feedback control in which a maneuvering delta is determined over a first interval, and only a solution over a sub-interval of the first interval is retained for a quasi-continuous intra-maneuvering trajectory.