Reorientation of a Rigid Body Controlled by a Movable Internal Mass

摘要

The problem of controlling the orientation of a rigid body using a movable internal mass is studied. A method for calculating the motion of a point mass relative to the rigid body under which the body acquires a desired attitude in space is proposed. The reorientation maneuver consists of three planar turns about the principal central axes of inertia of the body. Finding the required planar turns is based on solving the corresponding optimal control problems.