Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Fall 12-15-2018

Abstract

Equations of motion are derived for a spinning triangle tethered spacecraft system and are used to analyze the stability of such systems. Floquet theory is applied to the linearized, periodic coefficient, equations of motion to analyze spin stability as a function of triangle geometry and the average spin rate of the satellite relative to the angular velocity of the spacecraft orbiting around a central body. The results of the Floquet analysis show that spin stability is achievable for many combinations of spacecraft geometry and spin rate. Spacecraft engineers or operators for a triangle-shaped tethered spacecraft can use this information for mission planning or design purposes.

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Mechanical Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Professor Christopher Hall

Second Committee Member

Professor John Russell

Third Committee Member

Assistant Professor Sang Lee

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

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