A theoretical study of the angular motions of spinning bodies in space / by Jerrold H. Suddath.

A theoretical study was made of the angular motions of spinning bodies in space. The analysis was based on Euler's dynamic equations which were linearized and solved analytically. The results of the study are directly applicable only to spin-stabilized vehicles with constant moments of inertia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Suddath, Jerrold H.
Corporate Authors: Langley Research Center, United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Format: Government Document Book
Language:English
Published: Washington, D.C. : National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1961.
Series:NASA technical report ; R-83.
Subjects:
Description
Summary:A theoretical study was made of the angular motions of spinning bodies in space. The analysis was based on Euler's dynamic equations which were linearized and solved analytically. The results of the study are directly applicable only to spin-stabilized vehicles with constant moments of inertia and angular displacements not exceeding about 15°. Simple analytical expressions were obtained which relate angular motions to spin-rate and inertia distributions for a given disturbance. Consideration was given to the effects produced by having artificial damping in the system. The study included numerical examples and comparisons of analytical solutions with machine solutions of exact dynamic equations. The analysis indicated that angular motions are sensitive to inertia distributions. In considering a rectangular-pulse pitching moment, it was found that the residual motion was very sensitive to the time at which the moment was removed. Artificial damping due to a perfect proportional control system seemed to be more advantageous to pencil-like configurations than to disk-like configurations.
Physical Description:12 pages : illustrations ; 27 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (page 12)