Higher-Order Analytical Attitude Propagation of an Oblate Rigid Body under Gravity-Gradient Torque

Abstract EN

A higher-order perturbation theory for the rotation of a uniaxial satellite under gravity-gradient torque demonstrates that known special configurations of the attitude dynamics at which the satellite rotates,on average, as in a torque-free state, are only the result of an early truncation of the secular frequenciesof motion.

In addition to providing a deeper insight into the dynamics, the higher order of the analyticalsolution makes it competitive when compared with the long-term numerical integration of the equationsof motion.