ANALYSIS OF TIME-DELAY MAGNETIC DAMPING OF SPACECRAFT LIBRATIONS IN NEAR-SYNCHRONOUS EQUATORIAL ORBITS.
Abstract
Time-lag magnetic damping provides a method of using the earth's magnetic field for rapid libration damping of satellites when the field strength is insufficient to dissipate energy with magnetic hysteresis material. This consists of generating a spacecraft-fixed magnetic dipole, initially parallel to the earth's magnetic field, and holding it constant as the spacecraft librates. When the magnet is turned off, a portion of the satellite's angular momentum has been transferred to the earth's magnetic field. A mathematical model is developed relating the dipole moment, the dipole holding time, and the initial attitude to the energy dissipation rate. Comparisons are made between the results predicted analytically by the damping model and those obtained by numerical integration of the differential equations of attitude motion. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0655425
Entities
People
- D. L. Mackison
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory