Heteroclinic chaos and its local suppression in attitude dynamics of an asymmetrical dual-spin spacecraft and gyrostat-satellites. The Part I—Main models and solutions

•New generalized models are obtained for the dual-spin spacecraft with the constructional/mass-inertia asymmetry.•New action-angle-solutions for the heteroclinic case of the dynamics are found.•The Melnikov–Wiggins formalizm was used for the heteroclinic chaos analysis in the Hamiltonian and non-Hamiltonian cases of the perturbations.

The attitude dynamics of a dual-spin spacecraft (DSSC) and gyrostats-satellites is considered at the presence of the constructional asymmetry and at the action of the internal/external perturbations, including the friction between the coaxial DSSC bodies, electromotors’ torques applied to the rotor-body from the platform-body by internal engines, the counterelectromotive forces/torques in internal engines, internal polyharmonic disturbances and external magnetic perturbations. New/modified mathematical models and dynamical systems are obtained for the investigation of the DSSC chaotic dynamics.