The purpose of the report is to discuss the design analysis and flight performance of the attitude stabilization system of one of the Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellites, GEOS-II. Geocentric stabilization is achieved in a completely passive manner by utilization of the gravity-gradient principle and a passive energy dissipator. The system analysis is accomplished through a digital solution of the equations of motion which describe the orientation of the spacecraft in orbit. Flight performance is obtained by an onboard attitude measuring system which determines the orientation of the satellite-sun line and magnetic field vector in the satellite reference system. A comparison of the theoretical and measured orientation of the spacecraft concludes the paper. (Author)
Attitude Performance of the Geos-II Gravity-Gradient Spacecraft
1969
53 pages
Report
No indication
English
Manned Spacecraft , Spacecraft Trajectories & Flight Mechanics , Scientific satellites , Attitude control systems , Stabilization systems , Gravity , Extendable structures , Booms , Magnetic fields , Transformations(Mathematics) , Euler's angles , Terrestrial magnetism , Damping , Low-orbit trajectories , Thermal radiation , Distortion , Solar wind , Gravity gradient stabilization , GEOS(Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellites) , Geodetic earth orbiting satellites , Geos 2 satellites , Computerized simulation , Computer analysis