Patent ID: 7624948
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: B64G,H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for configuring and operating a spacecraft in an orbit that is inclined with respect to Earth's equatorial plane, the spacecraft including at least a solar array, a receive antenna, a transmit antenna, and radiator panels, the method comprising the steps of: nominally orienting the yaw axis of the spacecraft, the roll axis of the spacecraft, and the radiator panels substantially parallel to Earth's equatorial plane, the pitch axis of the spacecraft and rotation axis of the solar array substantially parallel to Earth's polar axis, the Nadir vector in the yaw-pitch plane of the spacecraft, and the transmit antenna and receive antenna to angle φ correcting the attitude of the receive antenna and the transmit antenna to maintain a desired degree of the receive antenna and the transmit antenna steered toward a coverage region on Earth's surface, the correcting step comprising the steps of: