Nonredundant Single-Gimbaled Control Moment Gyroscopes

Abstract

Two objectives dominate consideration of control moment gyroscopes for spacecraft maneuvers: high torque (equivalently momentum) and singularity-free operations. This paper adds to the significant body of research toward these two goals using a minimal three-control-moment-gyroscope array to provide significant singularity-free momentum performance increase spherically (in all directions) by modification of control-moment-gyroscope skew angles, compared with the ubiquitous pyramid geometry skewed at 54.73 deg. Spherical 1H (one control moment gyroscope s worth momentum) singularity-free momentum is established with bidirectional 1H and 2H in the third direction in a baseline configuration. Next, momentum space reshaping is shown via mixed skew angles permitting orientation of maximum singularity-free angular momentum into the desired direction of maneuver (yaw in this study). Finally, a decoupled gimbal angle calculation technique is shown to avoid loss of attitude control associated with singular matrix inversion. This technique permits 3H (maximal) yaw maneuvers without loss of attitude control despite passing through singularity. These claims are demonstrated analytically, then heuristically, and finally validated experimentally.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA570082

Entities

People

  • Brij N. Agrawal
  • Jae J. Kim
  • Timothy A. Sands

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air
  • Air Force
  • Angular Momentum
  • Geometry
  • Gimbals
  • Gyroscopes
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Momentum
  • Satellite Buses
  • Simulations
  • Simulators
  • Space Stations
  • Spacecraft
  • Thin Films
  • Total Angular Momentum
  • Trajectories
  • Verification

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers