1.-19. (canceled)
20. A sensor configuration for determining the position andor change in position of a measurement object relative to a sensor, said sensor configuration comprising:
a sensor; and
a magnet assigned to the measurement object,
wherein the sensor has a first conductor and a second conductor arranged longitudinally to the first conductor, and a soft magnetic film whose permeability changes under the influence of a magnetic field and which influences the electromagnetic coupling between the first conductor and the second conductor is arranged in the area of influence of the first conductor and the second conductor.
21. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the first conductor or second conductor has at least one pickup and by analysis of the electromagnetic coupling in a subsection defined by the pickup(s), the position andor change in position of the measurement object can be determined.
22. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are applied to a substrate.
23. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are arranged at a distance d from one another.
24. The sensor configuration according to claim 23, wherein the distance d between the first conductor and the second conductor varies.
25. The sensor configuration according to claim 24, wherein a desired characteristic line of the sensor is established by varying the distance d.
26. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the conductors are trimmed by means of a laser for adjusting the sensor.
27. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the first conductor andor the second conductor isare designed to be straight andor are arranged parallel to one another.
28. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are designed as a curve, in particular as an arc of a circle.
29. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein a soft magnetic film is arranged on both sides of the two conductors.
30. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the first conductor (2) is connected to a current source for generating an alternating field.
31. The sensor configuration according to claim 20, wherein the magnet assigned to the measurement object is a permanent magnet or is formed by a coil through which a direct current flows.
32. The sensor configuration according to claim 21, wherein the pickups are arranged equidistantly, and in the case of a single pickup, it is arranged in the middle of the first conductor or second conductor.
33. The sensor configuration according to claim 21, wherein the pickups on the second conductor are each connected to a resistor whose other terminal is connected to a summation device.
34. The sensor configuration according to claim 21, wherein the pickups are wired to the second conductor in such a way that the voltages induced in the subsections are mutually canceled in a zero position of the measurement object.
35. A method for determining the position andor change in position of a measurement object relative to a sensor, said method comprising:
assigning a magnet to the measurement object, wherein an alternating field is generated by an alternating current flowing through a first conductor of the sensor and induces a voltage in a second conductor arranged longitudinally to the first conductor, such that the electromagnetic coupling between the first conductor and the second conductor is influenced by a soft magnetic film whose permeability changes under the influence of a magnetic field.
36. The method according to claim 35, wherein at least two subsections of the conductor are defined by at least one pickup on the first conductor or second conductor and the position of the measurement object is determined from the electromagnetic coupling with one of these subsections.
37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the individual subsections have electricity flowing in them one after the other in the case of one or more pickups on the first conductor.
38. The method according to claim 36, wherein the individual subsections are analyzed one after the other or simultaneously in the case of one or more pickups on the second conductor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a frame;
a power source coupled to the frame;
a payload coupled to the frame, the payload to receive or transmit data; and
an electric propulsion system coupled to the frame, the electric propulsion system to enable attitude control, momentum control, and orbit control of the apparatus.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein orbit control comprises orbit maintaining, orbit changing, orbit raising, orbit insertion, orbit re-positioning, and de-orbit maneuvers of the apparatus and wherein momentum control comprises momentum management.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller to control the electric propulsion system.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a thruster.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a gimbaled platform to enable the thruster to move relative to the frame.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a plurality of thrusters.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the thrusters is independently movable.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a tank to receive propellant.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tank is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the frame.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a solar array fixed or movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the payload is at least partly movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in a stowed configuration, the apparatus is to be positioned in a launch vehicle.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a Xenon ion propulsion system, a plasma propulsion system, or a Hall Effect propulsion system.
14. An apparatus, comprising:
a launch vehicle; and
a spacecraft to be positioned in the launch vehicle, the spacecraft, comprising:
a frame;
a power source coupled to the frame;
a payload coupled to the frame, the payload to receive or transmit data; and
an electric propulsion system coupled to the frame to enable substantially all propulsion operations to be performed without a chemical propulsion system.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a thruster and a gimbaled platform, the gimbaled platform to enable the thruster to move relative to the frame.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a plurality of thrusters.
17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a tank to receive propellant.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the tank is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the frame.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein substantially all propulsion operations includes attitude control, momentum control, and orbit control of the apparatus.
20. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein orbit control comprises orbit maintaining, orbit changing, orbit raising, orbit insertion, orbit re-positioning, and de-orbit maneuvers of the spacecraft.
21. An apparatus, comprising:
a launch vehicle;
a first module; and
a second module, the first module to be removably coupled to the second module, the first and second modules to be positioned in the launch vehicle, the second module, comprising:
a frame;
a power source coupled to the frame;
a payload coupled to the frame, the payload to receive or transmit data; and
an electric propulsion system coupled to the frame, the electric propulsion system to enable attitude control, momentum control, and orbit control of the second module.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the electric propulsion system comprises a tank to receive propellant.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the tank is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the frame.
24. A method to improve performance of a propulsion system, comprising:
using an electric propulsion system coupled to a frame; and
allowing the electric propulsion system to enable attitude control and orbit control.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein using the electric propulsion system comprises using a plurality of independently movable thrusters.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein using the electric propulsion system comprises using a propellant stored in a tank positioned along a longitudinal axis of the frame.
27. The method of claim 24, further comprising allowing the electric propulsion system or an attitude control system to enable momentum control.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein using the electric propulsion system comprises using a Xenon ion propulsion system, a plasma propulsion system, or a Hall Effect propulsion system.