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Directional Cosine Matrices
Directional Cosine Matrices
Directional Cosine Matrices
I.1. Definition
One of the most common rotation sequence used in the aerospace field is the yaw-pitch-roll
sequence. The vehicle is first rotated about its Z-axis by an angle ψ (yaw). Then, it is rotated
about its new Y-axis by angle θ (pitch). Finally, the manoeuvre is completed by a rotation
about the new X-axis by an angle φ (roll).
ψ, θ and φ are the Euler angles.
The Direction Cosine Matrix (DCM) for each rotation individually is defined below:
⎡ cosψ sinψ 0⎤
Yaw: RZ (ψ ) = ⎢⎢− sinψ cosψ 0⎥⎥ = R1
⎢⎣ 0 0 1⎥⎦
⎡cosθ 0 − sin θ ⎤
Pitch: RY (θ ) = ⎢⎢ 0 1 0 ⎥⎥ = R2
⎢⎣ sin θ 0 cosθ ⎥⎦
⎡1 0 0 ⎤
Roll: RX (φ ) = ⎢0 cos φ sin φ ⎥⎥ = R3
⎢
⎢⎣0 − sin φ cos φ ⎥⎦
Hence, for a yaw-pitch-roll (of angles ψ,θ,φ respectively) rotation sequence, the Direction
Cosine Matrix is:
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ISAE – ITA Course 1 Orbit Mechanics DCM Handout
Note that each rotation sequence has its own corresponding DCM. Therefore a 3-1-3 rotation
sequence will have a different DCM.
II.1. Definition
To obtain the frame defining the orbit plane from the reference frame, it is necessary to apply
a succession of rotation to the latter. First, the reference frame is rotated through W (the right
ascension of ascending node) about Z. Then, it is rotated around the new X-axis by an angle i
(the inclination), and finally rotated around the new Z-azis (parallel to the angular momentum
vector) by an angle w corresponding to the argument of perigee.
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ISAE – ITA Course 1 Orbit Mechanics DCM Handout
⎡ cos Ω sin Ω 0⎤
RZ (Ω) = ⎢⎢− sin Ω cos Ω 0⎥⎥ = R1
⎢⎣ 0 0 1⎥⎦
⎡1 0 0 ⎤
R X (i) = ⎢0 cos i sin i ⎥⎥ = R2
⎢
⎢⎣0 − sin i cos i ⎥⎦
⎡ cos ω sin ω 0⎤
RZ (ω ) = ⎢⎢− sin ω cos ω 0⎥⎥ = R3
⎢⎣ 0 0 1⎥⎦
⎡ cos Ω cos ω − sin Ω sin ω cos i sin Ω cos ω + cos Ω sin ω cos i sin ω sin i ⎤
RP← I = ⎢− cos Ω sin ω − sin Ω cos ω cos i − sin Ω sin ω + cos Ω cos ω cos i cos ω sin i ⎥⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ sin Ω sin i − cos Ω sin i cos i ⎥⎦
IMPORTANT
Note that the matrix above is the transpose of Eq. (4.56) from Griffin & French which is OK
as they corresponds to inverse transformations. In fact, they are both correct. Any confusion is
due to the peculiar way that Griffin & French handle matrix multiplications and operations.
If you apply the more traditional way of handling matrices (as shown in Appendix A) to Eq.
(4.55) you will not obtain the same results as Eq. (4.56)!!!
I would therefore recommend that you stick to conventional notation and therefore rewrite
any matrices you encounter to make sure it uses the normal convention (used by Matlab for
instance).
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ISAE – ITA Course 1 Orbit Mechanics DCM Handout
V )I = RI ←B V )B
The relation between the DCM transforming B into I is the inverse (or transpose) of the DCM
transforming I into B:
RI ← B = R B−1← I = R BT ← I
⎡X ⎤ ⎡X ⎤
⎢Y ⎥ = R ⎢Y ⎥
⎢ ⎥ I ←B ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ Z ⎥⎦ I ⎢⎣ Z ⎥⎦ B
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ISAE – ITA Course 1 Orbit Mechanics DCM Handout
Bibliography
Griffin, Michael, D., and French, James, R., “Space Vehicle Design”, Second Edition, AIAA
Education Series, Reston, VA, USA, 2004.
Brown, Charles, D., “Elements of Spacecraft Design”, AIAA Education Series, Reston, VA,
USA, 2002.
Sidi, Marcel, J., “Spacecraft Dynamics & Control”, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK, 1997.
(A reference book in the field of spacecraft dynamics & control)
Zipfel, Peter, H., “Modelling and Simulation of Aerospace Vehicle Dynamics”, AIAA
Education Series, AIAA, Reston, VA, USA, 2000.
(A very exhaustive book on rigid body dynamics)
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ISAE – ITA Course 1 Orbit Mechanics DCM Handout
⎡X ⎤ ⎡a b c ⎤⎡ X ⎤ ⎡aX B + bYB + cZ B ⎤
⎢ Y ⎥ = ⎢d e f ⎥ ⎢ Y ⎥ = ⎢⎢dX B + eYB + fZ B ⎥⎥
⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢
⎢⎣ Z ⎥⎦ I ⎢⎣ g h i ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ Z ⎥⎦ B ⎢⎣ gX B + hYB + iZ B ⎥⎦
⎡a b c ⎤ ⎡ P X ⎤ ⎡aP + bQ + cR aX + bY + cZ ⎤
⎢d e f ⎥⎥ ⎢⎢Q Y ⎥⎥ = ⎢⎢dP + eQ + fR dX + eY + fZ ⎥⎥
⎢
⎢⎣ g h i ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ R Z ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ gP + hQ + iR gX + hY + iZ ⎥⎦
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