Application of Magnetic Torquing for Desaturation of Control Moment Gyros in Space Vehicle Control
Abstract
A group of control moment gyros can be used to control the attitude of a space vehicle by exchanging momentum with the rest of the spacecraft. However, externally caused disturbance torques acting on the vehicle would saturate the momentum capability of the gyros if no auxiliary torquing methods were provided to unload the stored momentum. This function can be performed by a set of three current-carrying coils which interact with the earth's magnetic field in a process of continually resetting the control moment gyro gimbal angles to 'zero' position. The performance and weight of a magnetic system to momentum desaturate control moment gyros have been determined as functions of spacecraft size, altitude, and orbit inclination over the ranges of interest for a large, earth orbiting manned space vehicle. In a digital computer simulation of the combined control moment gyro and magnetic systems, the torques exerted by the latter had a negligible effect on the pointing accuracy of the former. Designs have been completed for the elements of the magnetic system and the interface with the control moment gyros has been defined.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0817503
Entities
People
- Charles E. Williams
- Edgar J. Bowers
- Harold W. Alatalo
- Jack Braumiller
- Leonard R. Hart