AAS 97-679
SATELLITE NONLINEAR ATTITUDE MOTION ABOUT AN OBLATE CENTRAL BODY
H.A. Karasopoulos - WL/FIMA and D.L. Richardson - University of Cincinnati
Abstract
The nonlinear dynamics of the planar pitch attitude motion of a gravity-gradient satellite is investigated for an elliptical polar orbit about an oblate, axially symmetric, central body. Perturbations to the attitude and orbit equations due to the oblateness of the central body are shown to significantly affect satellite pitching motion. Eccentricity, assumed constant in previous nonlinear analyses of planar pitch dynamics, varies as much as 15% for an example low altitude, Earth orbiting satellite. With this model, chaos is detected in the resultant pitching motion in regions of the phase space where previous dynamical models indicate only regular motion.