Session
Technical Session VII: New Mission or Bus Concepts I
Abstract
Nanosats are a new class of low mass satellite amenable to solar pressure propulsion. Carnegie Mellon Proposes to develop and fly the first spacecraft which utilizes solar radiation pressure as its only means of enabling attitude precession, spin rate change and orbital velocity changes. The Solar Blade Nanosatellite has the appearance of a Dutch windmill and employs control akin to a helicopter. Four solar reflecting blades are mounted radially from a central spacecraft bus and actuated along their radial axis. The satellite’s flight dynamics are controlled through the rotation of these solar blades relative to the sun’s rays. The spacecraft is stowable in a package approximately the size of a fire extinguisher and weighs less than 5 kilograms. The satellite will demonstrate attitude precession, spin rate management, and orbital adjustments.
Solar Blade Nanosatellite Development: Heliogyro Deployment, Dynamics, and Control
Nanosats are a new class of low mass satellite amenable to solar pressure propulsion. Carnegie Mellon Proposes to develop and fly the first spacecraft which utilizes solar radiation pressure as its only means of enabling attitude precession, spin rate change and orbital velocity changes. The Solar Blade Nanosatellite has the appearance of a Dutch windmill and employs control akin to a helicopter. Four solar reflecting blades are mounted radially from a central spacecraft bus and actuated along their radial axis. The satellite’s flight dynamics are controlled through the rotation of these solar blades relative to the sun’s rays. The spacecraft is stowable in a package approximately the size of a fire extinguisher and weighs less than 5 kilograms. The satellite will demonstrate attitude precession, spin rate management, and orbital adjustments.
