How Satellites Use Thrusters to Balance Solar Panels
A design for a satellite that uses strategically placed thrusters to counteract the physical twisting force caused by sunlight hitting its solar panels.
Original patent title: “Self-balancing solar array”
A design for a satellite that uses strategically placed thrusters to counteract the physical twisting force caused by sunlight hitting its solar panels. Granted to Space Systems Loral LLC in 2020 with 13 claims and 1 forward citation.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a spacecraft configuration designed to solve the problem of solar radiation pressure. When sunlight hits a large solar array, it creates a torque, or twisting force, that can push the satellite off its intended path. The invention places a thruster on the far end of the solar array to fire in the opposite direction, effectively cancelling out that twist. It also specifies that the satellite's main thrusters are placed on the opposite side of the main body to maintain balance. To keep things simple, the design uses a wireless radio link to control the thruster on the solar array, avoiding the need to run complex power or data cables through the rotating joint that connects the array to the satellite body.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover satellites that use traditional mechanical reaction wheels to manage attitude control.
- Does not cover solar arrays that are fixed in place and do not rotate relative to the main body.
- Does not cover systems where power for the secondary thruster is supplied directly through the solar array drive assembly.
- Does not cover spacecraft that utilize only chemical propulsion without the specific thruster-to-torque-cancellation geometry described.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using a wireless radio link to control a thruster located on a moving solar array, which eliminates the need for complex, failure-prone electrical slip rings or cable wraps at the rotating joint.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Geostationary communications satellites
High-power orbital platforms with large solar arrays
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Managing a satellite's orientation in orbit is critical for keeping its antennas pointed at Earth and its solar panels aimed at the sun. By using thrusters to actively counteract solar pressure, this design potentially reduces the need for heavy, mechanical gyroscopes or reaction wheels. This allows for lighter satellites and more efficient station-keeping in geostationary orbit.
Filed
October 20, 2015
Granted
April 14, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Space Systems Loral (now part of Maxar Technologies) has been a leader in geostationary satellite design. The industry at large, including companies like Northrop Grumman and Airbus Defence and Space, continues to refine station-keeping techniques to minimize fuel consumption and mechanical wear.
Market impact
This patent represents an incremental but important step in satellite bus design, focusing on reducing mechanical complexity. By moving toward wireless control of outboard components, it helps manufacturers reduce the weight and failure points of satellite deployment mechanisms.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a spacecraft configuration designed to solve the problem of solar radiation pressure. When sunlight hits a large solar array, it creates a torque, or twisting force, that can push the satellite off its intended path. The invention places a thruster on the far end of the solar array to fire in the opposite direction, effectively cancelling out that twist. It also specifies that the satellite's main thrusters are placed on the opposite side of the main body to maintain balance. To keep things simple, the design uses a wireless radio link to control the thruster on the solar array, avoiding the need to run complex power or data cables through the rotating joint that connects the array to the satellite body.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using a wireless radio link to control a thruster located on a moving solar array, which eliminates the need for complex, failure-prone electrical slip rings or cable wraps at the rotating joint.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover satellites that use traditional mechanical reaction wheels to manage attitude control.
- Does not cover solar arrays that are fixed in place and do not rotate relative to the main body.
- Does not cover systems where power for the secondary thruster is supplied directly through the solar array drive assembly.
- Does not cover spacecraft that utilize only chemical propulsion without the specific thruster-to-torque-cancellation geometry described.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
9/20
Moderate scope
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$34K – $108K
Midpoint $68K · 9.3 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
13 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Tilley, S. W. (2020). How Satellites Use Thrusters to Balance Solar Panels (U.S. Patent No. 10,618,678). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10618678/raptor-full-flow-staged-combustion-engine
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Satellites Use Thrusters to Balance Solar Panels cover?
A design for a satellite that uses strategically placed thrusters to counteract the physical twisting force caused by sunlight hitting its solar panels.
Who owns patent US 10618678?
Space Systems Loral LLC owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on April 14, 2040, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10618678 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Managing a satellite's orientation in orbit is critical for keeping its antennas pointed at Earth and its solar panels aimed at the sun. By using thrusters to actively counteract solar pressure, this design potentially reduces the need for heavy, mechanical gyroscopes or reaction wheels. This allows for lighter satellites and more efficient station-keeping in geostationary orbit.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover satellites that use traditional mechanical reaction wheels to manage attitude control.
Patent monitoring