The usage of a sustainer electric propulsion system for spacecraft attitude control

Аuthors

Obukhov V. A.^1*, Pokryshkin A. I.^*, Popov G. A.^2**, Yashina N. V.^3***

1. Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia
2. Research Institute of Applied Mechanics and Electrodynamics of Moscow Aviation Institute (RIAME MAI), Moscow, Russia
3. The «Generation» Research Center at the Moscow Aviation Institute,

*e-mail: riame@sokol.ru
**e-mail: riame4@sokol.ru
***e-mail: aet@mai.ru

Abstract

Problem of spacecraft attitude control for a non-coplanar inter-orbital flight using hinged sustainer electric propulsion has been studied. Trajectory legs corresponding maximum angular acceleration of the spacecraft longitudinal axis at plane configuration for the solar panel (SP) orientation to the Sun are under investigation. It has been shown that small permitted deviations of the SP orientation to the Sun provide reduction of control moments and deflections of cruise propulsions. Possibility is important to change one SP orientation variant by another differing the sign of the SP rotation angle, which provides reducing control moment values.

Keywords:

sustainer electric propulsion, solar cell panels, inter-orbital journey, pivoted sustainer propulsion, attitude control