Analysis of attitude motion evolutions of variable mass gyrostats and coaxial rigid bodies system

This work involves the research into angular motion of variable mass gyrostats, coaxial bodies systems and dual-spin spacecraft in a translating coordinate frame. The variability of mass–inertia parameters of coaxial bodies causes non-trivial changes of system angular motion. The article describes qualitative method for phase space analysis, based on the evaluation of a phase trajectory curvature. The method can be used to investigate the phase trajectory shape and to synthesize conditions for special motion modes realization (for example, monotone decreasing/increasing of nutation angle). The paper results can be used to describe the motion of a variable mass dual-spin spacecraft, performing active maneuvers.