Method and system for determining momentum paths without singularities

摘要

A method for avoiding singularities in the movement of CMGs (106) in an array of CMGs in a spacecraft includes a first step (802) where a maneuver command to rotate a spacecraft orientation is received. Then, the torque needed to rotate the spacecraft's orientation is determined (804). Then, the torque is integrated to determine a momentum path (806). The momentum path is decomposed into a sequence of straight line segments (808). For each line segment, a unit vector along the straight line segments is determined (810). Then, it is determined if there is a continuous path connecting a start point and an end point of the line segment in a plane perpendicular to the unit vector (814). For each point along the path in the plane perpendicular to the unit vector, a set of gimbal angles is determined (818).