A control system for a spacecraft for determining a resultant torque that is exerted upon a spacecraft by one or more magnetic torque rods is disclosed. The spacecraft is configured to revolve around a celestial body in an orbit. A magnetic field of the celestial body is predictable, and a direction of the magnetic field located around the orbit is fixed. The control system includes the one or more magnetic torque rods, one or more processors in electronic communication with the one or more magnetic torque rods, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control system to instruct the one or more magnetic torque rods to exert the resultant torque upon the spacecraft.

A control system configured to execute a safing mode sequence for a spacecraft is disclosed. The control system includes one or more star trackers that each include a field of view to capture light from a plurality of space objects surrounding the celestial body. The control system also includes one or more actuators, one or more processors in electronic communication with the one or more actuators, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data into a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control system to determine a current attitude of the spacecraft, and re-orient the spacecraft from a current attitude into a momentum neutral attitude.

A projectile intended for damping a spacecraft (100) comprising a main body (110) and active attitude control means (150) comprises a harpoon and is intended to equip a space delivery vehicle to be projected towards the spacecraft. It comprises a passive damper (200) mounted such that it is fixed on the harpoon and suitable for generating, in cooperation with the Earth's magnetic field, a damping torque. That passive damper (200) comprises an outer enclosure (210) and an inner body (220) configured such that: the inner body, permanently magnetized, is positioned inside the outer enclosure and is capable of moving in rotation about at least one axis of rotation, the outer enclosure and the inner body comprise respectively an inner surface and an outer surface, separated by means of a viscous fluid, the outer enclosure is fixed to the main body of the spacecraft for rotation therewith once the harpoon is secured to the main body.

A projectile intended for damping a spacecraft (100) comprising a main body (110) and active attitude control means (150) comprises a harpoon and is intended to equip a space delivery vehicle to be projected towards the spacecraft. It comprises a passive damper (200) mounted such that it is fixed on the harpoon and suitable for generating, in cooperation with the Earth's magnetic field, a damping torque. That passive damper (200) comprises an outer enclosure (210) and an inner body (220) configured such that: the inner body, permanently magnetized, is positioned inside the outer enclosure and is capable of moving in rotation about at least one axis of rotation, the outer enclosure and the inner body comprise respectively an inner surface and an outer surface, separated by means of a viscous fluid, the outer enclosure is fixed to the main body of the spacecraft for rotation therewith once the harpoon is secured to the main body.

A dipole cancellation system and method may include a plurality of magnetometers for measuring a device magnetic field associated with a plurality of device coils generating a device magnetic field having a primary magnetic dipole moment. A compensating coil carrying a compensating current running a first direction that generates a compensating magnetic field having a compensating magnetic dipole moment. The compensating coil may be positioned and the first current may be selected so that the compensating magnetic dipole moment completely cancels the primary magnetic dipole moment. A method may use the system to stabilize a spacecraft by calculating an estimated torque of the spacecraft, receiving a value for an external magnetic field, receiving a value for a device magnetic field, and calculating and applying a compensating current may be then applied to the compensating coil to cancel the primary magnetic dipole moment, wherein the spacecraft is stabilized.

A dipole cancellation system and method may include a plurality of magnetometers for measuring a device magnetic field associated with a plurality of device coils generating a device magnetic field having a primary magnetic dipole moment. A compensating coil carrying a compensating current running a first direction that generates a compensating magnetic field having a compensating magnetic dipole moment. The compensating coil may be positioned and the first current may be selected so that the compensating magnetic dipole moment completely cancels the primary magnetic dipole moment. A method may use the system to stabilize a spacecraft by calculating an estimated torque of the spacecraft, receiving a value for an external magnetic field, receiving a value for a device magnetic field, and calculating and applying a compensating current may be then applied to the compensating coil to cancel the primary magnetic dipole moment, wherein the spacecraft is stabilized.

A method for desaturating reaction wheels of a spacecraft having a magnetic dipole is provided. The method includes orienting the spacecraft relative to an external magnetic field to apply a torque to the spacecraft via the magnetic dipole in a direction opposing momentum stored in the reaction wheels; and using the applied torque to unload at least some of the momentum stored in the reaction wheels. A corresponding spacecraft and non-transitory computer-readable medium are also provided.

A method for desaturating reaction wheels of a spacecraft having a magnetic dipole is provided. The method includes orienting the spacecraft relative to an external magnetic field to apply a torque to the spacecraft via the magnetic dipole in a direction opposing momentum stored in the reaction wheels; and using the applied torque to unload at least some of the momentum stored in the reaction wheels. A corresponding spacecraft and non-transitory computer-readable medium are also provided.

A system utilizing an antenna generating an electromagnetic (EM) wave to interact with a solar EM wave to streamline magnetic flux in the polar cusp and to facilitate the flow of solar plasma through the Polar Cusp, resulting in an elevated plasma flux at the exit of the Polar Cusp. The elevated plasma flux intercepts and removes small space debris from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) and Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO) transiting the LEO altitude regimes.

A system utilizing an antenna generating an electromagnetic (EM) wave to interact with a solar EM wave to streamline magnetic flux in the polar cusp and to facilitate the flow of solar plasma through the Polar Cusp, resulting in an elevated plasma flux at the exit of the Polar Cusp. The elevated plasma flux intercepts and removes small space debris from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) and Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO) transiting the LEO altitude regimes.