Topics include orbital and attitude maneuvers, orbit establishment and orbit transfer, plane rotation, interplanetary transfer and hyperbolic passage, lunar transfer, reorientation with constant momentum, attitude determination, more. Answers to selected exercises. 1976 edition.

Comprehensive coverage includes environmental torques, energy dissipation, motion equations for four archetypical systems, orientation parameters, illustrations of key concepts with on-orbit flight data, and typical engineering hardware. 1986 edition.

Satellites are used increasingly in telecommunications, scientific research, surveillance, and meteorology, and these satellites rely heavily on the effectiveness of complex onboard control systems. This 1997 book explains the basic theory of spacecraft dynamics and control and the practical aspects of controlling a satellite. The emphasis throughout is on analyzing and solving real-world engineering problems. For example, the author discusses orbital and rotational dynamics of spacecraft under a variety of environmental conditions, along with the realistic constraints imposed by available hardware. Among the topics covered are orbital dynamics, attitude dynamics, gravity gradient stabilization, single and dual spin stabilization, attitude maneuvers, attitude stabilization, and structural dynamics and liquid sloshing.

This book is an up-to-date compendium on spacecraft attitude and orbit control (AOC) that offers a systematic and complete treatment of the subject with the aim of imparting the theoretical and practical knowledge that is required by designers, engineers, and researchers. After an introduction on the kinematics of the flexible and agile space vehicles, the modern architecture and functions of an AOC system are described and the main AOC modes reviewed with possible design solutions and examples. The dynamics of the flexible body in space are then considered using an original Lagrangian approach suitable for the control applications of large space flexible structures. Subsequent chapters address optimal control theory, attitude control methods, and orbit control applications, including the optimal orbital transfer with finite and infinite thrust. The theory is integrated with a description of current propulsion systems, with the focus especially on the new electric propulsion systems and state of the art sensors and actuators.

Spacecraft Dynamics and Control: The Embedded Model Control Approach provides a uniform and systematic way of approaching space engineering control problems from the standpoint of model-based control, using state-space equations as the key paradigm for simulation, design and implementation. The book introduces the Embedded Model Control methodology for the design and implementation of attitude and orbit control systems. The logic architecture is organized around the embedded model of the spacecraft and its surrounding environment. The model is compelled to include disturbance dynamics as a repository of the uncertainty that the control law must reject to meet attitude and orbit requirements within the uncertainty class. The source of the real-time uncertainty estimation/prediction is the model error signal, as it encodes the residual discrepancies between spacecraft measurements and model output. The embedded model and the uncertainty estimation feedback (noise estimator in the book) constitute the state predictor feeding the control law. Asymptotic pole placement (exploiting the asymptotes of closed-loop transfer functions) is the way to design and tune feedback loops around the embedded model (state predictor, control law, reference generator). The design versus the uncertainty class is driven by analytic stability and performance inequalities. The method is applied to several attitude and orbit control problems. The book begins with an extensive introduction to attitude geometry and algebra and ends with the core themes: state-space dynamics and Embedded Model Control. Fundamentals of orbit, attitude and environment dynamics are treated giving emphasis to state-space formulation, disturbance dynamics, state feedback and prediction, closed-loop stability. Sensors and actuators are treated giving emphasis to their dynamics and modelling of measurement errors. Numerical tables are included and their data employed for numerical simulations. Orbit and attitude control problems of the European GOCE mission are the inspiration of numerical exercises and simulations. The suite of the attitude control modes of a GOCE-like mission is designed and simulated around the so-called mission state predictor. Solved and unsolved exercises are included within the text - and not separated at the end of chapters - for better understanding, training and application. Simulated results and their graphical plots are developed through MATLAB/Simulink code.

Provides the basics of spacecraft orbital dynamics plus attitude dynamics and control, using vectrix notation Spacecraft Dynamics and Control: An Introduction presents the fundamentals of classical control in the context of spacecraft attitude control. This approach is particularly beneficial for the training of students in both of the subjects of classical control as well as its application to spacecraft attitude control. By using a physical system (a spacecraft) that the reader can visualize (rather than arbitrary transfer functions), it is easier to grasp the motivation for why topics in control theory are important, as well as the theory behind them. The entire treatment of both orbital and attitude dynamics makes use of vectrix notation, which is a tool that allows the user to write down any vector equation of motion without consideration of a reference frame. This is particularly suited to the treatment of multiple reference frames. Vectrix notation also makes a very clear distinction between a physical vector and its coordinate representation in a reference frame. This is very important in spacecraft dynamics and control problems, where often multiple coordinate representations are used (in different reference frames) for the same physical vector. Provides an accessible, practical aid for teaching and self-study with a layout enabling a fundamental understanding of the subject Fills a gap in the existing literature by providing an analytical toolbox offering the reader a lasting, rigorous methodology for approaching vector mechanics, a key element vital to new graduates and practicing engineers alike Delivers an outstanding resource for aerospace engineering students, and all those involved in the technical aspects of design and engineering in the space sector Contains numerous illustrations to accompany the written text. Problems are included to apply and extend the material in each chapter Essential reading for graduate level aerospace engineering students, aerospace professionals, researchers and engineers.