A novel approach to the attitude control of axisymmetric spacecraft

A novel approach is proposed for the attitude stabilization and reorientation of an axi-symmetric spacecraft subject to two gas jet actuators. The approach is based on a new formulation of the attitude kinematics. Abstract| 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.