Patents by Inventor Richard Stuart Blomquist

Richard Stuart Blomquist 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: 11827381
    Abstract: A method of controlling a spacecraft is provided. The method includes one or more of calculating, by a control device, spacecraft position, attitude, and velocity, the spacecraft including a plurality of blade actuators controlling pitch for a plurality of blades, the plurality of blades extending radially away from a spacecraft core and including material configured to be deflected by solar pressure, receiving mission plan updates for the spacecraft, calculating an updated trajectory based on the position, attitude, velocity, mission plan updates, and past spacecraft behavior, generating maneuver parameters for the spacecraft from the updated trajectory, creating new blade pitch profiles for a plurality of blade actuators, from the maneuver parameters, sending controls corresponding to the new blade pitch profiles to the plurality of blade actuators, and transitioning from current blade pitch profiles to the new blade pitch profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Richard Stuart Blomquist
  • Publication number: 20220281619
    Abstract: A method of controlling a spacecraft is provided. The method includes one or more of calculating, by a control device, spacecraft position, attitude, and velocity, the spacecraft including a plurality of blade actuators controlling pitch for a plurality of blades, the plurality of blades extending radially away from a spacecraft core and including material configured to be deflected by solar pressure, receiving mission plan updates for the spacecraft, calculating an updated trajectory based on the position, attitude, velocity, mission plan updates, and past spacecraft behavior, generating maneuver parameters for the spacecraft from the updated trajectory, creating new blade pitch profiles for a plurality of blade actuators, from the maneuver parameters, sending controls corresponding to the new blade pitch profiles to the plurality of blade actuators, and transitioning from current blade pitch profiles to the new blade pitch profiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventor: Richard Stuart Blomquist
  • Patent number: 11338942
    Abstract: A spacecraft is provided, which includes one or more of a centrally-oriented core, which includes a computing device. The computing device includes a processor and a memory, coupled to the processor, including computer instructions to control the spacecraft. The spacecraft may also include a power source, coupled to the core, a plurality of struts, each including a root end coupled the core and a distal end, the plurality of struts extending radially from the core. The spacecraft may also include a plurality of blade deployers, coupled to distal ends of the plurality of struts and a plurality of blades, coupled to the plurality of blade deployers and extending radially away from the core and in a common plane with the plurality of struts. The plurality of blades includes material configured to be deflected by solar pressure. Each of the struts is configured to provide damping to a corresponding blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventor: Richard Stuart Blomquist
  • Publication number: 20190315497
    Abstract: A spacecraft is provided, which includes one or more of a centrally-oriented core, which includes a computing device. The computing device includes a processor and a memory, coupled to the processor, including computer instructions to control the spacecraft. The spacecraft may also include a power source, coupled to the core, a plurality of struts, each including a root end coupled the core and a distal end, the plurality of struts extending radially from the core. The spacecraft may also include a plurality of blade deployers, coupled to distal ends of the plurality of struts and a plurality of blades, coupled to the plurality of blade deployers and extending radially away from the core and in a common plane with the plurality of struts. The plurality of blades includes material configured to be deflected by solar pressure. Each of the struts is configured to provide damping to a corresponding blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventor: Richard Stuart Blomquist