Nutation Control During Precession of a Spin-Stabilized Spacecraft

摘要

The effects of precession thrust pulses and energy dissipation upon nutation of a spin-stabilized spacecraft are studied. Methods for controlling nutation during a precession maneuver are proposed and examined. In particular, a precession modulation control law is developed which uses precession thrust pulses to control nutation. Digital simulations show that precession control with separate nutation control is the fastest processing system;however, the precession modulation method is only fractionally slower while not requiring a separate. nutation control system.