Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics
摘要
Why is satellite kinematics and dynamics so odd? This chapter explains this by making use of the rotation-to-translation equivalence principle. It also explains why nutation and precession, though looking much the same, are totally different physical effects and why all rotational motion of a satellite ends up in flat spin. The results are applied to stabilize satellite attitude and attitude dynamics via gravity-gradient torque in circular but also near-circular orbits, where violent pitch oscillations may occur. We finally present the physics of a space elevator both with and without tapered cable as a showpiece of applying classical mechanics.