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 thruster system for use in a spacecraft includes a microwave source, a resonant cavity coupled to the microwave source, wherein the microwave source is configured to generate a standing wave field in the resonant cavity, a nozzle provided at one end of the resonant cavity; and at least one injector configured to inject propellant into the resonant cavity so as to create a rotating circumferential flow. The standing wave field raises a temperature of the injected propellant to provide thrust by way of a hot gas exiting the resonant cavity via the nozzle.

To manage propellant in a spacecraft, the method of this disclosure includes storing propellant in a tank as a mixture of liquid and gas; transferring the propellant out of the tank; converting the mixture of liquid and gas propellant into a single phase, where the single phase is either liquid or gaseous; and supplying the single phase of the propellant to a thruster.

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 deployable multi-section boom comprising a first hinge assembly including a base section adapted to be attached to a structure, a movable section that is pivotably attached to the base section and a first boom attached to the movable section. The first hinge assembly is configured to allow the first boom to pivot in a first direction to a first predetermined maximum angle with respect to the base section. A first constant torque assembly constantly urges the first boom to pivot in the first direction and includes a component attached to the base section of the first hinge assembly. The multi-section boom includes a second hinge assembly that includes a first section attached to the first boom and a second section that is pivotably attached to the first section. A second boom is attached to the second section of the second hinge assembly wherein the second hinge assembly allows the second boom to pivot in a second direction to a second predetermined maximum angle with respect to the first boom. A second constant torque assembly constantly urges the second boom to pivot in the second direction and includes a component that is attached to the first section of the second hinge assembly. The first constant torque assembly and second constant torque assembly cooperate to configure the multi-section boom in a fully deployed state wherein the constant torque applied to the first boom causes the entire multi-section boom to pivot in the first direction while the constant torque applied to the second boom causes the second boom to simultaneously pivot in the second direction with respect to the first boom while the entire multi-section boom continues to pivot in the first direction. The multi-section boom is fully deployed when the first boom pivots to the first predetermined maximum angle and the second boom pivots to the second predetermined angle.

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.

The present disclosure relates to an axial flux motor comprising a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a first motor coil, and a second motor coil, and the rotor comprises a first and second actuator magnet array configured in an alternating axial polarity arrangement and a first rotating magnetic return path member.

The present disclosure relates to an axial flux motor comprising a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a first motor coil, a second motor coil, a first hall sensor, and a second hall sensor, and the rotor comprises a rotor platform member, an actuator magnet array arranged in an alternating axial polarity arrangement, a trigger magnet array, and a rotating magnetic return path member.