NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE ATTITUDE EQUATIONS OF A SATELLITE CONTAINING DAMPING ROTORS AND A REACTION WHEEL

Abstract

This report describes a program for simulating the motion of a rigid body containing a reaction wheel, damping media and torquing (magnetic or otherwise). The dynamical equations are simulated in terms of the angular velocities in body-fixed coordinates and the kinematic equations are simulated in terms of direction cosines. The entire system of equations has been programmed using a fourth order predictor-corrector method with automatic step- size adjustment and a fourth order Runge-Kutta starting routine. The ratio of computer time to real time is between 1 to 10 and 2 to 1 for LES-5-type satellites.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 15, 1968
Accession Number
AD0679992

Entities

People

  • Naomi M. Brody
  • Roger W. Brockett

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Accuracy
  • Angular Momentum
  • Attitude Control Systems
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Programs
  • Control Systems
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Euler Angles
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Moment Of Inertia
  • Momentum
  • Numerical Integration
  • Simulations

Readers

  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Inertial Navigation Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers