METHOD OF CONTROL OF SPACE VEHICLE TURN AND SYSTEM FOR REALIZATION OF THIS METHOD Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: space engineering; control of angular motion and position of orbital stations, space platforms and other space vehicles. SUBSTANCE: in course of free rotation of space vehicle, correction of its angular motion is performed so that trajectory of this motion passes through preset final attitude of space vehicle. Moment of application, magnitude and direction of correcting pulse are selected depending on present angles of deflection of space vehicle from its initial and final attitude making use of quaternion formalism. For realization of this method, use is made of control system where boundary-value problem of shifting the space vehicle form initial at attitude to preset final attitude within required period of time is solved algorithmically. Required angular velocity is selected and control moment for acceleration and deceleration of space vehicle is formed on basis of measured angles of turn and moment of momentum of space vehicle. Plotting the trajectory of turn of space vehicle in main section of free trajectories makes it possible to reduce mass and power requirements for turn of space vehicle at specially organized check of motion and its correction. EFFECT: reduction of mass and power requirement; enhanced accuracy of realization of manoeuvre. 3 cl, 37 dwg