Patents by Inventor Christopher R. Purvis

Christopher R. Purvis has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6052630
    Abstract: A method for controlling the direction of a spacecraft of the type having a controller for calculating thrust forces comprises a plurality of thrusters disposed on said spacecraft in a spaced relationship relative to one another and aligning and locating each of said plurality of thrusters at a predetermined angle on said spacecraft relative to first, second and third orthogonally oriented axes such that the firing of any given pair of thrusters produces a torque about one of said spacecraft axes; and firing of all of said plurality of said thrusters in equal amounts at one time to cause the spacecraft to move in a linear manner along one of said three orthognally disposed axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Holmes, Christopher R. Purvis