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In on 8 Apr 2004 10:13:14
-0700, wrote:

Don Stauffer wrote in message ...

A number of deep space probes have had solar reflector attitude control
panels. These use the photons to help stabilize or move the craft to a
new attitude using the photon momentum.

Um? A number of craft have had solar power panels. Which craft
have had solar reflector attitude control?

Mariner IV (the first Mars probe, which I worked on back in 1964) had solar
pressure vanes, mounted on the ends of each of the four solar panels, that
adjusted automatically when the attitude jets fired. After they found the
right balance, the need for attitude gas was so greatly reduced that the
spacecraft used only a fraction of the attitude gas that would have otherwise
been required. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/tmp/1964-077A.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~nbrass1/mariner/miv.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~nbrass1/mariner/mariner04.gif

The earlier Mariner II (the first Venus probe) had a solar sail, but it was
less effective than the four solar pressure vanes on Mariner IV.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/tmp/1962-041A.html

--
Best regards,
John Navas
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