METHOD TO CONTROL SPACECRAFT IN MAINTAINING ORIENTATION Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC B64G1/24 G05D1/08 

FIELD: aerospace engineering.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method comprises determining angle and error rate and applying control effect about spacecraft center of masses. To determine disturbing acceleration, test preset-duration effect is applied in preset control channel to define the sign of said disturbing effect allowing for possible departure of control accelerations from rated accelerations. Angular velocity signal is corrected allowing for magnitude and signs of disturbing and control accelerations and duration of the effect of each of them. Control effects of certain duration is selected and applied about centre of mass in the interval between applications of control effects in the channel controlling the travel of centre of mass. When angular velocity is smaller than preset threshold value, control effects about centre of mass and in aforesaid control channel are applied simultaneously. Their duration is determined from preliminary measurements of disturbing and control effects characteristics. Required angular velocity is determined when it exceeds threshold value in applying control effect in aforesaid control channel.aforesaid value is taken to be the ratio of current angle and its value memorised during aforesaid increase to damping factor. Now, control effect is applied about centre of mass and features duration determined also from aforesaid preliminary measurements.

EFFECT: reduced angular velocity variation amplitude and transition period duration.

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