PanelSat® SoSo-steering
(Switch on, Switch off)
© PanelSat GmbH
SOSO-steering (switch on, switch off)
SoSo-steering is the main and fuel free attitude control function of PanelSat®. It allows to point and turn the satellite about 9 axles. Its 8 panels, which are placed in 4 pairs on opposite sides of the spacecraft generate 4 main axles between each panel pair.
Two panel pairs which are placed side bei side, constitute 4 additional axles in between those main axles which are shifted 45° between them.
The 9. axis is caused by positioning panels windmill like, so that the spacecraft rotates about the center of the panel plane.
This allows to furnish each axis with different instrumentation, for instance on one axis regular camera equipment, on the other radar, on the other Lidar, on the other a transceiver ...., and by turning the pointing axis to the wished position the needed instrumentation is switched also.
Tilting sun-wards looking panels with their edge towards sun, switches the light pressure onto those panels off, while the partner panels in on position on the other side of the spacecraft continue to push on their side, so that the spacecraft is rotated about the concerned axles.
This results in a turn of the satellite body around the axle between those panels.
It is also possible to tilt 2, 3 or 4 panels at once to enhance the turning power and shorten the turning time of the spacecraft.
Changing attitude control to SoSo-steering enables the spacecraft operators to get rid of energy comsuming flywheels.
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