US 12,286,242 B2
Magnetic control of spacecraft
Gregory Thane Wyler, Stuart, FL (US); Bobby Glenn Holden, Somerville, MA (US); and Manwei Chan, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to WildStar, LLC, Hanover, NH (US)
Filed by WildStar, LLC, Hanover, NH (US)
Filed on Sep. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/948,730.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/246,175, filed on Sep. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0093514 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B64G 1/32 (2006.01); B64G 1/10 (2006.01); B64G 1/24 (2006.01); B64G 1/36 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/366 (2013.01) [B64G 1/1085 (2013.01); B64G 1/244 (2019.05); B64G 1/245 (2023.08); B64G 1/32 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a first satellite using magnetics alone, the method comprising:
a) assessing a current attitude of the first satellite at a current time and at a current location using magnetometry;
b) setting a desired attitude for the first satellite at a future time in a future location;
c) developing, based on a model of the Earth's magnetic field that provides a state of the Earth's magnetic field at each potential waypoint, a set of waypoints for the first satellite at plural locations between the current location and the future location of the first satellite; and
d) actuating a plurality of magnetorquers to induce torques that minimize the difference between the current attitude of the first satellite and an attitude of the first satellite at each to the set of waypoints to achieve the desired attitude of the first satellite at the future location, and wherein the magnetorquers are the sole means of inducing rotation of the first satellite to attain the desired attitude.