THRUSTER FIRING METHOD IN SPACECRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEM

摘要

PURPOSE: To minimize the influence of the thruster plume on experimental devices installed outside and to reduce propellant consumption, by firing thrusters separately and selectively when the thrust axes are almost parallel to a maneuver direction while a spacecraft is rotating about its spin axis. ;CONSTITUTION: First thrusters 30₁, 30₂ and a pair of second thrusters 30 are installed at the periphery of a spacecraft, and each of thrust axes 40₁, 40₂ is shifted relative to its radial direction by an offset angle α. The thrusters 30₁, 30₂ are fired selectively and alternately when the thrust axes 40₁, 40₂ are generally parallel to a vector D while a spacecraft is rotating to correct its orbital velocity. Therefore, the thruster 30₁ is fired when a transverse axis 60 is shifted by the angle α to a maneuver direction along the orbital velocity vector. and the thruster 30₂ is fired when a common support member of a pair of the thrusters 30₁, 30₂ rotates around a spin axis 20 by the angle of 2α.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1993,JPO