| CPC B64G 1/641 (2013.01) [B64G 1/643 (2023.08)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A system comprising:
a plurality of spacecraft, wherein when in a stacked configuration the plurality of spacecraft are stacked above each other along a z-axis, wherein each spacecraft comprises one or more z-axis magnetic torque rods oriented along the z-axis, wherein collectively the one or more z-axis magnetic torque rods form a corresponding one or more sets of z-axis magnetic torque rods in which magnetic axes of the magnetic torque rods in each respective set are aligned with each other along the z-axis when the plurality of spacecraft are in the stacked configuration, wherein the one or more z-axis magnetic torque rods of a particular spacecraft is configured to interact with the Earth's magnetic field to provide torque to control orientation of the particular spacecraft; and
one or more circuits in communication with the z-axis magnetic torque rods of the plurality of spacecraft, wherein the one or more circuits are configured to:
operate each set of z-axis magnetic torque rods in a clamping configuration to maintain the plurality of spacecraft in the stacked configuration, wherein in the clamping configuration a north magnetic pole and a south magnetic pole of the z-axis magnetic torque rods in adjacent spacecraft in the stack face each other; and
operate the z-axis magnetic torque rods to deploy the plurality of spacecraft, including reverse a magnetic polarity of the one or more z-axis magnetic torque rods in a current top spacecraft in the stack to repel the current top spacecraft from the stack.
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