Apparatus and methods for spacecraft attitude control using a solar sail

This invention describes a way to steer a spacecraft and stop it from spinning using only sunlight, without needing rocket fuel. It does this with a reflective solar sail mounted on a robotic arm. The claims narrow this to an arm with at least four degrees of freedom, allowing precise adjustment of both the sail's angle and its position relative to the spacecraft's center of mass.

Why it matters: Filed before recent advancements in miniaturized, high-precision space robotics and autonomous control algorithms. These could now make the complex 4+ DOF arm more practical for precise attitude control and momentum desaturation.

Status: Not in forceListed as no longer active. The specific reason is not in the record we hold.
How hard to build: SpecializedRobotic arm, solar sail, precision control software.

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