Bifurcation and Chaos in an Apparent-Type Gyrostat Satellite

Attitude dynamics of an asymmetrical apparent gyrostat satellite has been considered. Hamiltonian approach and Routhian are used to prove that the dynamics of the system consists of two separate parts, an integrable and a non-integrable. The integrable part shows torque free motion of gyrostat, while the non-integrable part shows the effect of rotation about the earth and asphericity of the satellites inertia ellipsoid. Using these results, theoretically when the non-integrable part is eliminated, we are able to design a satellite with exactly regular motion. But from the engineering point of view the remaining errors of manufacturing process of the mechanical parts cause that the non-integrable part can not be eliminated, completely. So this case can not be achieved practically. Using Serret–Andoyer canonical variable the Hamiltonian transformed to a more appropriate form. In this new form the effect of the gravity, asphericity, rotational motion and spin of the rotor are explicitly distinguished. The results lead us to another way of control of chaos. To suppress the chaotic zones in the phase space, higher rotational kinetic energy can be used. Increasing the parameter related to the spin of the rotor causes the systems phase space to pass through a heteroclinic bifurcation process and for the sufficiently large magnitude of the parameter the heteroclinic structure can be eliminated. Local bifurcation of the phase space of the integrable part and global heteroclinic bifurcation of whole systems phase space are presented. The results are examined by the second order Poincaré surface of section method as a qualitative, and the Lyapunov characteristic exponents as a quantitative criterion.