Orbiter Technical Notes: Distributed Vessel Mass

Martin Schweiger September 27, 2 !

Introduction

" point mass

placed at position in a gra#itational $ield e%periences a $orce & 'or an e%tended ob(ect with a densit) distribution the resulting $orce can be obtained b) integrating o#er its #olume :

'or numerical calculations it is sometimes use$ul to discretise the ob(ect into a rigid s)stem o$ point masses whose relati#e positions are de$ined b) their bar)centric coordinates & Then,
*+

where *+ is the position o$ the bar)centre& 'or the calculation o$ the linear $orce Orbiter ma,es the assumption *+ *+ , i&e& the gra#itational $ield is homogeneous o#er the #olume o$ the ob(ect& This appro%imation is (usti$ied when calculating the gra#itational $orce on a spacecra$t which is small compared to its orbital radius #ector, *+ & -ith this assumption, we arri#e bac, at the e%pression $or a point mass:
*+ *+

.owe#er, an inhomogeneous potential will also induce an angular moment in an e%tended ob(ect, and this can generall) not be neglected& /n the continuous case, is gi#en b)
*+

011

and a$ter discretisation this becomes

*+

021

Symmetric gravitational potential

021

/$ we assume that i&e& the central bod) is a sphere o$ mass with homogeneous densit) distribution, and $urther that o#er the #olume o$ the spacecra$t, then we *+ can appro%imate 314:
*+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+ *+

051

Substituting 67ns& 2 and 5 into 67& 1 leads to

*+ *+ *+

0!1 can be 081

/$ the #ectors and written as

*+

are e%pressed in the #essel re$erence s)stem, then

*+ *+ *+

where is the #essel9s inertia tensor e%pressed in the same $rame& 0Note that Orbiter currentl) assumes that the #essel $rame o$ re$erence is orientated so that is diagonal&1

Discrete point mass systems

Orbiter implements gra#it) gradient tor7ue as discussed in Section 2, assuming that the #essel9s inertia tensor is ,nown& /n this section we gi#e an alternati#e method that describes the #essel as a rigid s)stem o$ point masses& This method is not currentl) implemented in Orbiter&

3.1 2-point systems

/n the simplest case, a #essel can be e%pressed as a rigid s)stem o$ two point masses& This allows to simulate an angular moment as a result o$ a gradient in the gra#itational potential &

*+

*+

-e want to calculate the angular moment induced b) the di$$erence o$ the gra#itational $ields at and & :et the ratio o$ masses be denoted b) & Then , and the $orces acting on the two mass points are

The angular moment is obtained b) adding both components,

071

which is now e%pressed as a $unction o$ the local $ield gradient

&

3.2 Numerical implementation

The $ield di$$erence is usuall) small compared to the magnitude o$ the $ield acting on the #essel: resulting in a signi$icant loss o$ precision when the $ield di$$erence in 67& 7 is calculated directl)& To a#oid this problem, we can simpli$) 67& 7 i$ the $ield can be condsidered to be generated b) a single point mass at position relati#e to *+& :et and be the position o$ relati#e to and , and let &

*+

Since , we can $ind the di$$erence the point masses and $rom b)

o$ the distances between

-e can now write the $ield di$$erence

as

and b) substituting terms,

and

, and omitting higher;order

Substituting into 67& 7 and utilising

leads to

3.3 Multi-point systems

'or ob(ects composed o$ more than two mass points, the $ormulation must be somewhat e%tended& -e split the gra#itational potential acting on mass point into a bar)centric and a perturbation component: & Then 67& 2 *+ *+ becomes
*+

*+

0<1

since the de$inition o$ the bar)centre demands & The perturbation components are calculated in the same wa) as in the 2;point prob; lem, assuming that the gra#itational potential is generated b) a single point mass at position in bar)centric coordinates o$ the spacecra$t, with & +i#en , the di$$erence between the distances o$ and the *+ $rom is gi#en b)

Then as be$ore,

and inserting into 67& < leads to

Damping

The model de$ined abo#e has e7uilibrium states 0 1 $or the attitudes 0#essel a%is aligned with radius #ector1 and 0#essel a%is perpendicular to ra; dius #ector1& Onl) the $irst o$ these is stable because an attitude perturbation will generate a tor7ue in the opposite direction, leading to an undamped oscillation around the e7uilibrium attitude& Orbiter allows to introduce a damping term

where is the angular #elocit) induced b) tor7ue , and is a user;de$ined damp; ing coe$$icient& The ph)sical source $or the damping term ma) be the de$ormation o$ the #essel b) tidal $orces, or redistribution o$ li7uid propellants&

References
314 =& >& -ert?, editor& Spacecraft Attitude Determination and Control& @luwer "ca; demic Aublishers, Dordrecht, 1B7<&