Mason A Peck, Age 57209 White Park Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850

6987257, Jan 17, 2006

Jan 28, 2003

10/353674

Mason A. Peck - Scottsdale AZ, US
Leah R. Soffer - Cherry Hill NJ, US

Honeywell International Inc. - Morristown NJ

G01C 21/24

2502062, 35613903, 244171, 702153

An attitude determination system and method is provided that includes at least two sensor sets. Each sensor set is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation, such as light of a known frequency. Specifically, each sensor set is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from a one of a plurality of point sources, where each of the plurality of point sources emits electromagnetic radiation of a different frequency. Each sensor set includes at least three sensors, with each of the three sensors having a different orientation. The three sensors in the sensor set are used to determine a relative orientation of the vehicle with respect to one of the point sources. The at least two sensor sets in the system determine the relative orientation with respect to at least two point sources. By placing the sensors on a vehicle and knowing the direction to the point sources in a reference frame coordinate system, the orientation of the vehicle with respect to this reference frame can be estimated.

7014150, Mar 21, 2006

Jul 30, 2004

10/903774

Mason A. Peck - Scottsdale AZ, US
Brian J. Hamilton - Glendale AZ, US
Brian Underhill - Glendale AZ, US

Honeywell International Inc. - Morristown NJ

B64G 1/28

244165, 701 13, 74 54

A momentum-control system for a spacecraft is disclosed. The momentum-control system comprises an attitude-control system. The attitude-control system receives data concerning a desired spacecraft maneuver and determines a torque command to complete the desired spacecraft maneuver. A momentum actuator control processor coupled to the attitude-control system receives the torque command. The momentum actuator control processor calculates a gimbal rate command comprising a range-space gimbal rate required to produce the torque command and a null-space gimbal rate required to maximize the ability to provide torque in the direction of a current torque. At least four control-moment gyros are coupled to the momentum control actuator control processor. Each of the control-moment gyros receives and executes the gimbal rate to produce the desired maneuver.

7090171, Aug 15, 2006

Apr 30, 2003

10/427111

Mason A. Peck - Scottsdale AZ, US

Honeywell International, Inc. - Morristown NJ

B64G 1/64

2441732

A spacecraft system including a spacecraft assembly or “stack” having an upper stage of a rocket-powered launch vehicle providing a final boost phase during launch. The stack also includes a payload structure rotatably interconnected with the upper stage. The upper stage and the payload structure together define a central axis that is generally coincident with the thrust axis during launch. The stack has an axis of maximum moment of inertia that is not parallel to the central axis. The stack has internal damping such that unstable nutation occurs if the upper stage and the payload structure rotate together about the central axis at the same rotational rate and in the same direction. The system includes a controller that rotates the payload structure relative to the upper stage during the final boost phase to alleviate coning motion of the stack.

7152495, Dec 26, 2006

Dec 19, 2002

10/325236

Mason A. Peck - Scottsdale AZ, US

Honeywell International, Inc. - Morristown NJ

G01C 19/30
G01C 19/06
F03G 3/00
B64G 1/28
G64C 17/06

74 547, 74 537, 74 84 S, 244165, 244 79

A disturbance-cancellation system and method is provided that facilitates the adaptive cancellation of periodic disturbances. The disturbance-cancellation system and method includes a pair of control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) arranged together as a scissored pair. The scissored pair of CMGs is used to create a periodic torque with a controllable amplitude and frequency. The periodic torque created by the CMGs is adaptively controlled to cancel out periodic disturbances in the system. The system and method creates a periodic torque with a controllable amplitude and frequency by rotating the inner-gimbal assemblies of the CMGs in opposite directions at substantially equal phase and angular velocity. Amplitude matching can be achieved by adjusting the rotor spin rate. The steady-state constant motion results in a periodic torque along the output axis of the scissored pair, while components of torque along axes orthogonal to this one cancel out.

7185855, Mar 6, 2007

Apr 30, 2004

10/836986

Mason A. Peck - Scottsdale AZ, US

Honeywell International, Inc. - Morristown NJ

B64G 1/38
B64G 1/28

244165, 74 534

A momentum-control system comprising a plurality of momentum actuators and a platform upon which the plurality of momentum actuators are mounted. The momentum control system further comprises a plurality of active struts mounted on the bottom side of the platform. The active struts are configured to produce a force to steer the plurality of momentum actuators and the platform to produce forces and moments for spacecraft attitude control and disturbance suppression.

7246776, Jul 24, 2007

Jul 23, 2004

10/897494

Mason A. Peck - Scottsdale AZ, US
Brian J. Hamilton - Glendale AZ, US
Brian Underhill - Glendale AZ, US

Honeywell International, Inc. - Morristown NJ

B64G 1/24

244171, 701 13, 244165

The present method provides a method for avoiding singularities in the movement of CMGs in an array of CMGs in a spacecraft. In a first step, a torque command representing a desired torque to produce an attitude adjustment for the spacecraft is received. Next, a range-space gimbal rate required to produce the desired torque based on the desired torque and a Jacobian matrix is calculated. Then, a null-space gimbal rate that assists in the avoidance of singularities is calculated. The total gimbal rate command is determined by summing the range-space gimbal rate and the null-space gimbal rate. Then, the total gimbal rate command is provided to the CMGs to produce the total gimbal rate.

7364120, Apr 29, 2008

Aug 26, 2004

10/928677

Mason A. Peck - Ithaca NY, US

Honeywell International, Inc. - Morristown NJ

B64G 1/28

244165, 2441715

A momentum actuator for steering a spacecraft is disclosed. The momentum actuator comprises a rotor, a gimbal upon which the rotor is mounted, and a stepper motor coupled to the gimbal and operable to rotate the rotor about the gimbal in a series of steps. In one embodiment of the present invention the spin rate of the rotor can be varied to provide torque.

7367529, May 6, 2008

Oct 22, 2004

10/971270

Jack H. Jacobs - Glendale AZ, US
Mason A. Peck - Ithaca NY, US

Honeywell International, Inc. - Morristown NJ

B64G 1/28

244165, 244166, 244171

An spacecraft control system is provided that includes a tube and a plurality of microwheels. The plurality of microwheels is disposed within the tube. Each microwheel has a first stator wafer, a second stator wafer, and a rotor wafer disposed therebetween. The first and second stator wafers are configured to spin the rotor wafer.