Aerodynamic Three-Axis Attitude Stabilization of a Spacecraft by Center-of-Mass Shifting
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Authors
Chesi, Simone
Gong, Qi
Romano, Marcello
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
2017-07
Date
July 2017
Publisher
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.
Language
Abstract
This paper proposes a spacecraft attitude control technique based on the use of center-of-mass shifting. In
particular, the position vector of the spacecraft’s center of pressure with respect to the center of mass is modified by
shifting masses, which results in a change of the aerodynamic torque vector within the plane perpendicular to the
aerodynamic drag. This results in an underactuated control system. To achieve full three-axis stabilization, additional
actuators (either a reaction wheel or a set of magnetic torquers) are considered. An adaptive nonlinear attitude
regulation control law was designed in order to obtain an ideal control torque based on the Lyapunov method and its
stability was proven by LaSalle’s invariance principle. The control torque was then allocated to steer three shifting
masses and either a reaction wheel or three magnetic torquers. Numerical simulations are reported, confirming the
analytic results. The proposed method decreases the residual oscillation error typically associated with magnetic
controlled attitude in the presence of residual aerodynamic torque. Therefore, it might contribute to achieve higher
pointing accuracy of small spacecraft in low Earth orbit.
Type
Article
Description
The article of record as published may be found at http://doi.org/10.2514/1.G002460
Series/Report No
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
14 p.
Citation
Chesi, Simone, Qi Gong, and Marcello Romano. "Aerodynamic three-axis attitude stabilization of a spacecraft by center-of-mass shifting." Journal of guidance, control, and dynamics 40.7 (2017): 1613-1626.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. As such, it is in the public domain, and under the provisions of Title 17, United States Code, Section 105, it may not be copyrighted.