METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE ATTITUDE AND STABILIZATION OF A SATELLITE IN LOW ORBIT

摘要

For controlling the attitude of a satellite placed on a low earth orbit, components of a vector Bm of the earth's magnetic field along three measurement axes of a frame of reference bound with the satellite (typically by means of a three-axis magnetometer)are measured. The orientation of the earth's magnetic field in the frame of reference is computed and a derivative Bm of the vector is also computed. Magneto-couplers carried by the satellite are energized to create a torque for spinning the satellite at an angular frequency .omega.c about a determined spin axis of the satellite, where .omega.c is greater than an orbital angular frequency 2.omega.0 of the satellite.