Abstract
A new attitude control method for solar sails is proposed using a single-axis gimbal mechanism and three-axis reaction wheels. The gimbal angle is varied to change the geometrical relationship between the force due to solar radiation pressure (SRP) and the center of mass of the spacecraft, such that the disturbance torque is minimized during attitude maintenance for orbit control. Attitude maneuver and maintenance are performed by the reaction wheels based on the quaternion feedback control method. Even if angular momentum accumulates on the reaction wheels due to modelling error, it can also be unloaded by using the gimbal to produce suitable torque due to SRP. In this study, we analyzed the attitude motion under the reaction wheel control by linearizing the equations of motion around the equilibrium point. Further, we newly derived the propellent-free unloading method based on the analytical formulation. Finally, we constructed the integrated attitude{orbit control method, and its validity was verified in integrated attitude{orbit control simulations.
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Abbreviations
- a, b, d, e :
-
dimension parameters of spacecraft model (m)
- A :
-
area of reflective surface (m2)
- B f :
-
Lambertian coefficient
- c :
-
speed of light (m/s)
- C a, C s, C d :
-
coefficients of optical properties
- CR3BP:
-
circular restricted three-body problem
- D :
-
spacecraft-to-Sun distance (au)
- f :
-
SRP force (N)
- h :
-
angular momentum of reaction wheels (N·m)
- H :
-
angular momentum of spacecraft system (N·m)
- I :
-
moment of inertia (kg·m2)
- k P, k D :
-
control gains for reaction wheels
- k Pg, k Dg :
-
control gains for gimbal
- m :
-
mass (kg)
- n :
-
unit vector normal to reflective surface
- r :
-
position of reflective surface (m)
- s :
-
unit vector directed from reflective surface to the Sun
- S 0 :
-
solar constant (W/m2)
- SRP:
-
solar radiation pressure
- T :
-
torque due to SRP (N·m)
- α, β, γ :
-
3{2{3 Euler angles (rad)
- θ, ϕ, ψ :
-
2—1—3 Euler angles (rad)
- ω :
-
attitude angular velocity (rad/s)
- Ω :
-
angular velocity of the Sun-pointing frame (rad/s)
- Θi :
-
inclination angle of sail (rad)
- Θg :
-
gimbal angle (rad)
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP21K14345 and JP21H04588.
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Toshihiro Chujo received his Ph.D. degree in engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan in 2017. He is currently an assistant professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology. His main research field includes astrodynamics, space mission design, and spacecraft system, especially for solar sails.
Kei Watanabe received his Ph.D. degree in engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan in 2023. He is currently a specially appointed assistant professor at the Institute of Innovative Research Quantum Navigation Unit, Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Yuki Takao received his Ph.D. degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan in 2020. He is currently an assistant professor at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Kyushu University. His research interests include astrodynamics, spacecraft systems, and solar sailing.
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Chujo, T., Watanabe, K. & Takao, Y. Integrated attitude—orbit control of solar sail with single-axis gimbal mechanism. Astrodyn (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-023-0192-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-023-0192-2