Patent ID: 6356814
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
A method of using a magnetic torquer for spacecraft attitude control, the torquer having a magnetic core and a conductive coil wound on the core, the method comprising the steps of:generating a corrected command signal needed to produce a desired magnetic moment, wherein the corrected command signal compensates for non-linearity in variation of the magnetic moment with the command signal; and applying the corrected command signal to the magnetic torquer, to produce the desired magnetic moment; and wherein the magnetic torquer is operated over a range extending beyond a linear regime in which torquers are normally operated, and a significantly higher torque is obtainable from a torquer of given weight; and wherein the step of generating a corrected command signal includes sensing magnetic field strength near the torquer, to obtain a signal indicative of magnetic moment, generating an error signal by computing the difference between a nominal command signal and the signal indicative of magnetic moment, and combining the nominal command signal with the error signal to obtain the corrected command signal.