COMPARISON OF THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ATTITUDE DATA FOR THE DODGE SPACECRAFT.

Abstract

The DODGE satellite, launched in July 1967, has successfully achieved gravity-gradient stabilization at near synchronous altitudes. Extendible booms, a constant-speed rotor, and four damping systems provide the opportunity to perform many attitude stabilization experiments. One of the objectives of the DODGE experiment was to determine the adequacy of theoretical analyses by correlation between simulation results and experimental data. This paper presents a comparison between the measured attitude and the results of digital simulation of the equations of attitude motion. Agreement between the two is varied. The digital simulation is also used to investigate possible causes of anomalous attitude behavior. It is shown that boom non-straightness has a significant effect on attitude performance, but that erroneous magnetometer readings of the type that were recorded in orbit do not. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0697903

Entities

People

  • J. Miller Whisnant
  • Vincent L. Pisacane

Organizations

  • Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Altitude
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Equations
  • Experimental Data
  • Magnetometers
  • Satellite Buses
  • Simulations
  • Space Objects
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Components
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers