Asymptotic study of a complete magnetic attitude control cycle providing a single-axis orientation

The angular motion of an axisymmetrical satellite equipped with the active magnetic attitude control system is examined. Attitude control system has to ensure necessary orientation of the axis of symmetry in the inertial space. It implements the following strategy: coarse reorientation of the axis of symmetry with nutation damping or “-Bdot” without initial detumbling; spinning-up about the axis of symmetry to achieve the property of a gyro; fine reorientation of the axis in the inertial space. Dynamics of the satellite is analytically studied using averaging technique on the complete control loop consisting of five algorithms. Solutions of the equations of motion are obtained in terms of quadratures for most cases or even in closed-form. The latter allowed to study the dependence of motion parameters including time-response with respect to the orbit inclination and other parameters for all algorithms.

► Spin-stabilized satellite equipped with active magnetic attitude control system is examined.
► Asymptotical methods are used to obtain the solution of equations of motion in quadratures.
► Parameters effect, inclination especially, on the system time-response is studied.
► High-inclined orbit is proved to be better for the magnetic control system functioning.