Semi-Optimal Steering Logic of Low-Thrust Orbit Raising Considering Angular Momentum Constraint

Abstract

In this study, the semi-optimal attitude steering logic for low-thrust orbit raising considering both the power generation and the angular momentum constraints is analytically derived to minimize the transfer time. In the proposed method, the attitude steering is realized by the rotation around the sun direction and the successive rotation around the rotation axis of solar array driving mechanism (SADM). These two rotation angles are determined so that the relative attitude error with respect to the ideal attitude is minimized in the presence of the angular momentum and torque constraints. The numerical simulations show that the degradation of the transfer time by the proposed logic is only less than several percent compared to the case without the angular momentum and torque constraints.