Non-linear oscillations of a satellite at 1:1:1 resonance

The motion of a satellite about its centre of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field is investigated. The satellite is considered to be a dynamically symmetrical rigid body. It is assumed that the ratio of the polar and equatorial principal central moments of inertia of the satellite is 4/3, or close to this. The orbit of the centre of mass is elliptic, and the orbit eccentricity is assumed to be small. In the limit case, when the orbit of the centre of mass is circular, a steady motion exists (corresponding to relative equilibrium of the satellite in the orbital system of coordinates) in which the axis of dynamic symmetry is directed along the velocity vector of the centre of mass of the satellite; here, the frequencies of the small linear oscillations of the axis of symmetry are equal or close to one another. But in an elliptic orbit of small eccentricity, multiple 1:1:1 resonance occurs in this case, as the oscillation frequencies mentioned are equal or close to the frequency of motion of the centre of mass of the satellite in orbit. The non-linear problem of the existence, bifurcations and stability of periodic motions of the satellite with a period equal to the rotation period of its centre of mass in orbit is investigated.     

On the stability of a satellite cylindrical precession in an elliptic orbit : PMM vol. 40, n 6, 1976, pp. 1040–1047

The stability of motion of a dynamically symmetric satellite with respect to its center of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field is investigated. The satellite is a solid body whose center of mass moves on an elliptic orbit. The particular case in which the satellite axis of symmetry is normal to the orbit plane (the so-called cylindrical precession [1, 2]) and its absolute angular velocity projection on the axis of symmetry is zero, is examined. Analytical and numerical methods are used. Regions of Liapunov instability and of stability in the first approximation are. obtained in the parameter space of the problem (the inertial parameter and the orbit eccentricity). Detailed nonlinear analysis is carried out in the latter, and the formal stability of the satellite cylindrical precession is proved. The question of stability for the majority of intial conditions is also considered [4].     

On manifolds of initial conditions leading to intersection of orbits of satellites with planet under weak gravitational perturbations

We consider the problem of initial conditions that lead to the intersection of a satellite orbit with planetocentric sphere of a radius R. The problem is considered in frame of the satellite version of the double-averaged restricted three body problem with taking into account gravitational perturbations caused by the polar oblateness of the planet. For some integrable cases we provide the boundaries of the manifolds of the initial orbital elements leading (or not leading) to the intersection of the satellite orbit with the planet surface.     

The motion of a body with a plane of symmetry over a three-dimensional sphere under the action of a spherical analogue of Newtonian gravitation

The problem of the motion of a rigid body possessing a plane of symmetry over the surface of a three-dimensional sphere under the action of a spherical analogue of Newtonian gravitation forces is considered. Approaches to introducing spherical analogues of the concepts of centre of mass and centre of gravity are discussed. The spherical analogue of “satellite approach” in the problem of the motion of a rigid body in a central field, which arises on the assumption that the dimensions of the body are small compared with the distance to the gravitating centre, is studied. Within the framework of satellite approach, assuming plane motion of the body, the question of the existence and stability of steady motions is investigated. A spherical analogue of the equation of the plane oscillations of a body in an elliptic orbit is derived.     

Rotations of a near-symmetrical satellite in an elliptical orbit with Mercury-type resonance

The motion of a satellite, i.e., a rigid body, about to the centre of mass under the action of the gravitational moments of a central Newtonian gravitational field in an elliptical orbit of arbitrary eccentricity is investigated. It is assumed that the satellite is almost dynamically symmetrical. Plane periodic motions for which the ratio of the average value of the absolute angular velocity of the satellite to the average motion of its centre of mass is equal to 3/2 (Mercury-type resonance) are examined. An analytic solution of the non-linear problem of the existence of such motions and their stability to plane perturbations is given. In the special case in which the central ellipsoid of inertia of the satellite is almost spherical, the stability to spatial perturbations is also examined, but only in a linear approximation. ©2008.     

Non-linear oscillations of a 1:1 resonance Hamiltonian system

The non-linear oscillations of an autonomous two-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian system in the neighbourhood of its stable equilibrium position are considered. It is assumed that the Hamilton function is sign-definite in the neighbourhood of the equilibrium position and that the values of the frequencies of its linear oscillations are equal or close to one another (1:1 resonance). The investigation is carried out using the example of the problem of the motion of a dynamically symmetrical rigid body (satellite) about its centre of mass in a circular orbit in a central Newtonian gravitational field. In this problem there is relative equilibrium of the rigid body in the orbital system of coordinates, for which its axis of dynamic symmetry is directed along the velocity vector of the centre of mass. Resonance occurs when the ratio of the polar and equatorial principal central moments of inertia is equal to 4/3 or is close to it. The problem of the existence, bifurcation and orbital stability of the periodic motions of a rigid body generated from its relative equilibrium is solved. Some aspects of the existence of quasiperiodic motions are also considered.     

A Study of the Motions of an Autonomous Hamiltonian System at a 1:1 Resonance

We examine the motions of an autonomous Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom in a neighborhood of an equilibrium point at a 1:1 resonance. It is assumed that the matrix of linearized equations of perturbed motion is reduced to diagonal form and the equilibrium is linearly stable. As an illustration, we consider the problem of the motion of a dynamically symmetric rigid body (satellite) relative to its center of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field on a circular orbit in a neighborhood of cylindrical precession. The abovementioned resonance case takes place for parameter values corresponding to the spherical symmetry of the body, for which the angular velocity of proper rotation has the same value and direction as the angular velocity of orbital motion of the radius vector of the center of mass. For parameter values close to the resonance point, the problem of the existence, bifurcations and orbital stability of periodic rigid body motions arising from a corresponding relative equilibrium of the reduced system is solved and issues concerning the existence of conditionally periodic motions are discussed.     

Linear problems of the stability of a type of rotation of a satellite about the centre of mass

The stability in the first approximation of the rotation of a satellite about a centre of mass is investigated. In the unperturbed motion the satellite performs, in absolute space, three rotations around the normal to the orbital plane in a time equal to two periods of rotation of its centre of mass in the orbit (Mercury-type rotation). Three cases of such rotations are considered: the rotations of a dynamically symmetrical satellite and a satellite, the central ellipsoid of inertia of which is close to a sphere, in an elliptic orbit of arbitrary eccentricity, and the rotation of a satellite with three different principal central moments of inertia in a circular orbit.     

On the conditions under which a satellite orbit intersects the surface of a central body of finite radius in the restricted double-averaged three-body problem

This paper is concerned with the applied problem of choosing long-living orbits of artificial Earth satellites whose evolution under the influence of gravitational perturbation from the Moon and the Sun may result in the collision of the satellite with the central body, as was shown by M.L. Lidov for the well-known example of “Vertical Moon.” We use solutions of the completely integrable system of evolution equations obtained by Lidov in 1961 by averaging twice the spatial circular restricted three-body problem in the Hill approximation. In order to apply the integrability of this problem in practice, we study the foliation of the manifold of levels of first integrals and the change of motion under crossing the bifurcation manifolds separating the foliated cells. As a result, we describe the manifold of initial conditions under which the orbit evolution leads to an inevitable collision of the satellite with the central body. We also find a lower bound for the practical applicability of the results, which is determined by the presence of gravitational perturbations caused by a polar flattening of the central body. Original Russian Text ? V.I. Prokhorenko, 2007, published in Trudy Matematicheskogo Instituta imeni V.A. Steklova, 2007, Vol. 259, pp. 156–173.     

On the conditions under which a satellite orbit intersects the surface of a central body of finite radius in the restricted double-averaged three-body problem

This paper is concerned with the applied problem of choosing long-living orbits of artificial Earth satellites whose evolution under the influence of gravitational perturbation from the Moon and the Sun may result in the collision of the satellite with the central body, as was shown by M.L. Lidov for the well-known example of “Vertical Moon.” We use solutions of the completely integrable system of evolution equations obtained by Lidov in 1961 by averaging twice the spatial circular restricted three-body problem in the Hill approximation. In order to apply the integrability of this problem in practice, we study the foliation of the manifold of levels of first integrals and the change of motion under crossing the bifurcation manifolds separating the foliated cells. As a result, we describe the manifold of initial conditions under which the orbit evolution leads to an inevitable collision of the satellite with the central body. We also find a lower bound for the practical applicability of the results, which is determined by the presence of gravitational perturbations caused by a polar flattening of the central body.     

Successive approximations to the solutions to nonlinear equations with a vector parameter in a nonregular case

We consider a nonlinear operator equation with a Fredholm linear operator in the principal part. The nonlinear part of the equation depends on the functionals defined on an open set in a normed vector space. We propose a method of successive asymptotic approximations to branching solutions. The method is used for studying the nonlinear boundary value problem describing the oscillations of a satellite in the plane of its elliptic orbit.     

The oscillations of a satellite about a direction fixed in absolute space

The stability of the plane oscillations of a satellite about the centre of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field is investigated. The orbit of the centre of mass is circular and the principal central moments of inertia of the satellite are different. In unperturbed motion, one of the axes of inertia is perpendicular to the plane of the orbit, while the satellite performs periodic oscillations about a direction fixed in absolute space. The problem of the stability of these oscillations with respect to plane and spatial perturbations is investigated.     

为什么大行星可以同时有顺行和逆行卫星

本文用圆型限制三体问题的Jacobi积分来建立一个能确定卫星是否稳定的测检函数.凡是对其主行星所作的瞬时椭圆轨道要素已知的卫星都可检定其稳定性.对于作准圆形轨道运动的卫星,我们可用电子计算机来求出它的稳定域,这域的界面是一个近似的扁椭球面.这闭面所包围的空间比“引力作用球”和其相应的卫星区的“Hill曲面”要小得多.由于卫星对其主行星的相对动能表示式对顺行和逆行轨道两者形式相同,所以两者可以在卫星的稳定域中同时存在.     

The orbital motion of a tetrahedral gyrostat

The orbital motion of a gyrostat whose mass distribution admits of the symmetry group of a regular tetrahedron is examined. The equations of motion and their first integrals are presented. The order of the equations of motion is reduced using a Routh–Lyapunov approach. The reduced potential and the equations for its critical points are presented. Some solutions of these equations are indicated, and a mechanical interpretation of the steady motions corresponding to them is given. Equations of motion similar to the well known equations of relative motion of a gyrostat in an elliptical orbit in the satellite approximation are derived assuming that the dimensions of the body are small compared with its distance from the attracting centre. A three-dimensional analogue of Beletskii's equation that relies on the use of the true anomaly as the independent variable is presented. Three classes of steady configurations are determined by Routh's method in the case of a circular orbit, and the conditions for their stability are investigated.     

Stabilization of the nonautonomous potential systems with the forces of a dissimilar structure

The problem is considered of stabilizing a nonautonomous system given potential forces by adding some dissipative, gyroscopic, and nonconservative positional forces. The stabilizability domain is found for the relative equilibrium of a satellite in the circular orbit.     

Stabilization of the motions of mechanical systems with variable masses

A holonomic mechanical system with variable masses and cyclic coordinates is considered. Such a system can have generalized steady motions in which the positional coordinates are constant and the cyclic velocities under the action of reactive forces vary according to a given law. Sufficient Routh-Rumyantsev-type conditions for the stability of such motions are determined. The problem of stabilizing a given translational-rotational motion of a symmetric satellite in which its centre of mass moves in a circular orbit and the satellite executes rotational motion about its axis of symmetry is solved.     

Bifurcations of the relative equilibria of a gyrostat satellite for a special case of the alignment of its gyrostatic moment

The bifurcations of the equilibria of a gyrostat satellite with a centre of mass moving uniformly in a circular Kepler orbit around an attracting centre are investigated. It is assumed that the axis of rotation of a statically and dynamically balanced flywheel rotating at a constant relative angular velocity is fixed in the principal central plane of inertia of the gyrostat containing the axis of its mean moment of inertia and that it is not collinear with any principal central axis of inertia of the system. The problem is solved in a direct formulation, that is, the whole set of equilibria with respect to the orbital system of coordinates of the gyrostat satellite is determined using the given moments of inertia, the value of the gyroscopic moment and the direction cosines of the axis of rotation of the flywheel and the changes in this set are investigated as a function of the bifurcation parameter, that is, the magnitude of the gyrostatic moment of the system. A parametric analysis of the relative equilibria of the three possible classes of equilibria for a system in a circular orbit in a central Newtonian force field is carried out using computer algebra facilities.     

Chaos and optimal control of steady-state rotation of a satellite-gyrostat on a circular orbit

The present paper is devoted to discuss both the chaos and optimal control of the steady rotations of a satellite-gyrostat on a circular orbit. In this the satellite is controlled with the help of three independent control moments that are developed by three rotors attached to the satellite principal axes of inertia and rotate with the help of motors rigidly mounted on the satellite body. The optimal controllers that asymptotically stabilize these chaotic rotations and minimize the required like-energy cost are derived as a function of the phase coordinates of the system. The asymptotic stability of the resulting nonlinear system is proved using the Liapunov technique. Numerical study and examples are introduced.     

Conservative methods of controlling the rotation of a gyrostat

A method for shaping the control of the rotation of a gyrostat consisting of a rigid body, within which there are three rotors rotating about non-coplanar axes rigidly connected to the body, is discussed. The state of the system is defined by the position and angular velocity of rotation of the body, as well as by the angular velocities of the rotors. Control is achieved by torques applied to the rotors. The idea behind the proposed control method is to choose the controlling torques so that the angular velocities of rotation of the rotors are linear functions of the components of the angular velocity vector of the body. The linear dependence thus specified defines a 3 × 3 matrix, that is, a “controlled inertia tensor.” This matrix, which is specified by the parameters of the control selected, does not necessarily have the properties of an inertia tensor. As a result of such a choice of controls, the equations that define the variation of the angular velocity of the body are written in a form similar to Euler's dynamical equations. The system of equations obtained is used to formulate and solve problems of controlling the angular motion of a satellite in a circular orbit. The proposed method for constructing controlling actions enables both the Lagrangian structure of the equations of motion and the fundamental symmetries of the problem to be maintained. Expressions for the torques acting on the rotors and realizing the motion of the required classes are written in explicit form.     

Existence of the Broucke periodic orbit and its linear stability

In this paper, we study the existence and linear stability of the Broucke periodic orbit in the planar three-body problem. In each period of this orbit, there are two binary collisions (or BC for short) between the outer bodies, while the inner body reaches its minimum or maximum at the time of each BC. A surprising simple existence proof of this orbit is given. The initial condition of this orbit is shown to be a supremum of some well-chosen set. The linear stability is then analyzed by Roberts? symmetry reduction method. It is shown that the Broucke periodic orbit with equal masses is linearly stable.