Preliminary design of the ORION attitude control system

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Author
Chappell, David C.
Thaler, George J.(George Julius)
Date
1987-12Advisor
Thaler, George Julius
Second Reader
Fuhs, A.E.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This thesis models the motion of the NPS satellite ORION
using the three Euler rotation angles. The simulation
program also models aerodynamic drag and gravity gradient
torques. Simulations are performed to analyze the effect of
changing the inertia ratio on satellite stability and
performance. The active nutation control method was also
simulated and an example of its operation given. The amount
of time required to reduce nutation to an acceptable level
was found to be dependent on the initial nutation angle,
spin rate, and thruster size. The slower the spin rate, the
greater the torque that could be used during a given firing
arc resulting in faster nutation control.