CPC B64G 1/26 (2013.01) [B64G 1/10 (2013.01); B64G 1/40 (2013.01); B64G 2001/247 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A satellite comprising:
a plurality of thrusters disposed about the satellite, each of the plurality of thrusters having a minimum thruster firing time; and
a control circuit connected to the plurality of thrusters, the control circuit configured to:
identify violations of the minimum thruster firing time in a non-compliant thruster firing pattern selected to achieve a specified movement, each violation identified by a thruster firing time that is less than the minimum thruster firing time,
generate a plurality of compliant thruster firing patterns by replacing each of the violations of the non-compliant thruster firing pattern with zero and the minimum thruster firing time in different combinations,
select a compliant thruster firing pattern from the plurality of compliant thruster firing patterns to produce a satellite movement that is within a predetermined range of the specified movement, and
cause the plurality of thrusters to fire according to the selected compliant thruster firing pattern.
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