Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Torti, Richard P..
SalCon Technology Corporation is developing a prototype electrostatically suspended micromechanical gyroscope in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program under Contracts 19282, and 19585 from NASA Langley Research Center. This paper presents the results of the Phase 1 feasibility study and the plans for fabrication in the upcoming Phase 2 program.
SatCon Technology Corporation is working toward the development of an advanced-concept Control Moment Gyro (CMG). The advanced-concept CMG is sized for use as a slewing actuator for large space-based payloads. The design features a magnetically suspended composite rotor which contains a persistent-mode superconducting solenoid magnet. The rotor is suspended and gimballed by the interaction of the fields produced by the superconductor and an array of cryoresistive coils. The rotor spins in a liquid helium environment, while the control coils are liquid-hydrogen cooled. This design is capable of meeting the requirements of many high-performance slewing applications (27,000 Nm). The use of the magnetic suspension as rotor bearings, gimbal bearings, and gimbal torquers also substantially reduces the mass of the CMG system.