Patent ID: 7097140
Filing Date: 2006-08-29
Classification: B64G,F16D

Abstract:
1. A momentum management system for attitude control of a spacecraft, the system having: a rotor drive having an output rotatable about a drive axis at a variable drive output speed; a gimbal assembly connected to the drive output; a momentum wheel rotor rotatable about a rotor axis for storing angular momentum, the rotor being mounted on the gimbal to be rotated about the drive axis by the rotor drive and for tilting movement about transverse axes orthogonal to the drive axis; a torque generation device for tilting the rotor about the transverse axes; a sensor for measuring the speed of the rotor rotation about the rotor axis and generating a sensor output representative of said speed; and drive control means responsive to the sensor output for varying the drive output speed so as to maintain the speed of the rotor rotation substantially constant.