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The general equilibria of a spinning satellite in a circular orbit

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Abstract

Let a rigid satellite move in a circular orbit about a spherically symmetric central body, taking into account only the main term of the gravitational torque. We shall investigate and find all solutions of the following problem: Let the satellite be permitted to spin about an axis that is fixed in the orbit frame; the satellite need not be symmetric, the spin not uniform, and the spin axis not a principal axis of inertia. The complete discussion of this type of spin reveals that the cases found by Lagrange and by Pringle - and the well-known spin about a principal axis of inertia orthogonal to the orbit plane — are essentially the only ones possible; the only further (degenerate) case is uniform spin of a two-dimensional, not necessarily symmetric satellite about certain axes that are orthogonal to the plane containing the body and to the orbit of the satellite around the central body.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aero-Astrodynamics Laboratory NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center, 35812, Ala., USA

    Hans J. Sperling

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  1. Hans J. Sperling
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Sperling, H.J. The general equilibria of a spinning satellite in a circular orbit. Celestial Mechanics 6, 278–293 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01231472

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01231472

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