Patent ID: 8688296
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
1. A method for changing the attitude of a satellite that is controlled by a plurality of control moment gyroscopes movable through gimbal angles, the method comprising: selecting a target for imaging; determining a final attitude for pointing the satellite to the target and a final satellite rate for imaging the target; providing an initial attitude and an initial set of gimbal angles comprising an initial gimbal angle for each control moment gyroscope; generating a first portion of a gimbal rate trajectory from the initial set of gimbal angles to an interim set of gimbal angles comprising an interim gimbal angle for each control moment gyroscope, the generation of the first portion of the gimbal rate trajectory comprising: generating a second portion of the gimbal rate trajectory from the interim set of gimbal angles to a final set of gimbal angles comprising a final gimbal angle for each control moment gyroscope, the generation of the second portion of the gimbal rate trajectory comprising: moving the control moment gyroscopes on the satellite according to the gimbal rate trajectory.