Control of nutation in a spacecraft

Details Control of nutation in a spacecraft Control of nutation in a spacecraft

1982-03-10

1985-03-12

Barefoot, Galen L.

Aeronautics and astronautics

Spacecraft

Attitude control

B64G 138

Patent

active

045040320

ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for damping nutation in a spacecraft to essentially zero in less than one nutation period which has a spin axis, first and second transverse axes and a characteristic nutation frequency .lambda.. A time interval t.sub.1 after the transverse momentum of the spacecraft about one transverse axis, such as the Y axis has crossed zero, a torque of magnitude T.sub.Y is applied to the spacecraft about its Y transverse axis. After a time interval t.sub.2, the application of this torque is terminated. The time t.sub.1 =1/.lambda. cos.sup.-1 (h.sub.Y0 .lambda./2T.sub.Y) and the time t.sub.2 =2/.lambda. sin.sup.-1 (h.sub.Y0 .lambda./2T.sub.Y), where h.sub.Y0 is the peak body momentum about the Y transverse axis.

REFERENCES:
patent: Re30429 (1980-11-01), Phillips
patent: 3437288 (1969-04-01), Lam
patent: 3591108 (1971-07-01), Perkel et al.
patent: 3695554 (1972-01-01), Phillips
patent: 3830447 (1974-08-01), Phillips
patent: 4193570 (1980-03-01), Hoffman et al.
patent: 4370716 (1983-01-01), Amieux
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 227,343 filed Jan. 22, 1981, of Muhlfelder et al., entitled, "Magnetically Torqued Nutation Damping".

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