Patent ID: 8833702
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: B64G,G01S

Abstract:
1. A satellite system that can autonomously avoid collision with orbital debris including: An orbital debris tracking device adapted to provide tracking data on a piece of debris; an orbit determination processor adapted to receive said tracking data from said orbital debris tracking device and compute the orbits of the debris, to produce debris orbital element data, and to compute the satellite's orbital elements from on-board sensors or on-board stored data or both; an ephemeris processor adapted to receive said debris orbital element data from the orbital determination processor, and satellite orbital elements data, and to generate debris ephemeris data for future positions of the debris and future positions of the satellite; a collision calculator adapted to receive the future debris ephemeris data and the future satellite ephemeris data from said ephemeris processor; said collision calculator adapted to compare said future satellite and debris ephemeris data; and to provide an output conclusion, said output conclusion showing whether a collision would or would not occur at some future time between said debris and said satellite; an avoidance orbit processor adapted to receive an output conclusion that a collision is likely to occur and to calculate an avoidance orbit; and processors to create propulsion thruster commands to effect the avoidance orbit and to execute the commands.