The equilibria and stability of a dynamically symmetrical satellite with a two-degree-of-freedom powered gyroscope

For a dynamically symmetrical satellite carrying a two-degree-of-freedom powered gyroscope, all the relative equilibria in a circular orbit are found as a function of the angular momentum of the rotor and the angle between the precession axis of the gyroscope and the plane of dynamical symmetry. The case with no spring on the axis of the gyroscope frame and the case with a spring whose stiffness satisfies definite conditions are considered. The secular stability of the equilibria is investigated. For a system with dissipation in the axis of the gyroscope frame, the Barbashin–Krasovskii theorem is used to perform a detailed analysis, which enables the character of the Lyapunov stability of all the equilibria to be determined, with the exception of a few points. The results of a numerical solution of the problem of the optimal values of the system parameters, for which asymptotically stable equilibria are obtained with maximum speed, are presented.