Reorientation of a spinning spacecraft using gimbaled electric thrusters

摘要

Apparatus and methods for controlling a spacecraft for a transfer orbit. The spacecraft includes a propulsion subsystem with electric thrusters that are installed with two-axis gimbal assemblies. The spacecraft also includes a controller that identifies a target spin axis for the spacecraft, determines an actual spin axis for the spacecraft during the transfer orbit, determines gimbal angles for the electric thruster(s) that adjust the actual spin axis toward the target spin axis, and initiates a burn of the electric thruster(s) at the gimbal angles.