Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
The problem of maintaining a satellite in a fixed orientation relative to the earth has led to the investigation of several methods of attitude control. In particular, the one involving passive stabilisation using gravity-gradient torque has aroused considerable interest. However, a major limitation of this manner of stabilisation is its inability to achieve station keeping to a high degree of accuracy. Furthermore, some form of external damping is necessary to recover an equilibrium configuration in a reasonably short period of time. Modi and Brereton investigated the energy dissipating mechanism which was an extension of the model proposed by Paul The numerical analysis of the system with small damper mass showed limit cycles associated with the system to be identical with one of the periodic solutions of the undamped case.