The use of magnetic torquers on satellites flying inclined Low Earth Orbits (LEO) arises challenging problems when dealing with control strategies: since the avail- able torque is perpendicular to the local magnetic field, the Attitude Control Sys- tem (ACS) is inherently underactuated if no other attitude effector is available. In this paper a rigorous proof of global asymptotic stability is derived for a control law that leads the satellite to a desired pure spin condition around a prin- cipal axis of inertia. A heuristic contribution is then added, inspired by quaternion feedback control and a previous geometric result obtained by the authors, which allows for pointing the spin axis along the normal to the orbital plane.
Single-Axis Pointing of a Magnetically Actuated Spacecraft: a Non-Nominal Euler-Axis Approach
AVANZINI, Giulio;
2012-01-01
Abstract
The use of magnetic torquers on satellites flying inclined Low Earth Orbits (LEO) arises challenging problems when dealing with control strategies: since the avail- able torque is perpendicular to the local magnetic field, the Attitude Control Sys- tem (ACS) is inherently underactuated if no other attitude effector is available. In this paper a rigorous proof of global asymptotic stability is derived for a control law that leads the satellite to a desired pure spin condition around a prin- cipal axis of inertia. A heuristic contribution is then added, inspired by quaternion feedback control and a previous geometric result obtained by the authors, which allows for pointing the spin axis along the normal to the orbital plane.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
