A Novel Approach for the Attitude Control of an
Axisymmetric Spacecraft subject to Two Control Torques
In this paper
we consider the problem of attitude stabilization of an
axi-symmetric spacecraft using two pairs of gas jet actuators.
These actuators provide control torques about two axes
spanning the two-dimensional plane orthogonal to the axis of
symmetry.
Using a new kinematic formulation,
we derive a stabilizing control law which achieves
arbitrary reorientation of the spacecraft
under the assumption that the initial spin rate
about the symmetry axis is zero.
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