I.
Introduction
Dual-Spin Spacecraft
Nutation Control Using
Articulated Payloads
LOREN I. SLAFER
Hughes Aircraft Company,
Abstract
A technique is presented for achieving active control of nutation on
a dual-spin spacecraft with an articulated payload through use of
the payload's control system. Using the Orbiting Solar Observatory
(OSO)-8 as an illustration, the closed-form solution to the nuta-
tion/control system dynamic interaction is presented. Control
system design criteria are developed which establish the basic
stability of the interaction. Design procedures are described to
achieve the most effective nutation damping. Limitations on the
amount of damping which can be achieved are characterized as
functions of spacecraft and payload mass properties and servo-
design parameters. The design techniques presented are verified
through a series of on-orbit tests recently conducted on the OSO-8
spacecraft.
Manuscript received June 14, 1979; revised August 24, 1979.
This work was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration under Contract NAS7-100.
Author's address: Guidance and Control Systems Laboratory,
Space and Communications Group, Hughes Aircraft Co., Building
366, MS V370, Box 92919, Los Angeles, CA 90009.
0018-9251/80/0100-0074 $00.75 1979 IEEE
74 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
The dual-spin spacecraft configuration, in which
the primary payload is inertially despun while a large
spinning section provides the system's basic
gyroscopic stabilization, has been demonstrated in
many military, scientific, and commercial applications
including the Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO)
series, TACSATCOM I, DSCS II, INTELSATS III,
IV, and IVA, COMSTAR I, and the Canadian and
Western Union domestic communications satellites.
The GALILEO outer planets spacecraft currently
under development by NASA will employ this design
concept.
Stabilization of the attitude of such dual-spin
spacecraft is defined as maintaining the axis of rota-
tion of the spinning portion of the vehicle coaligned
with the system angular momentum vector.
Undesirable transient nutation motion (coning of the
spin axis about the angular momentum vector) will
develop from disturbances resulting from thruster fir-
ings during spacecraft attitude and orbit correction
maneuvers, or from motion of articulated elements
contained on the vehicle.
Spacecraft design constraints and criteria which
establish the fundamental stability of this type of
vehicle (i.e., the capability of the system to asymp-
totically reduce spacecraft nutation rates) are well
known [1-4]. For a dual-spin satellite in its nominal
condition (with the payload platform inertially
despun), attitude stability can be determined from
energy dissipation considerations. For a spacecraft
configuration in which the spinning inertia exceeds the
total vehicle transverse inertia, the system is in its
minimum energy state and hence is inherently stable.
Asymptotic stability is achieved typically with the in-
clusion of a passive energy dissipating source on either
the spinning or despun elements. Here passive nuta-
tion damping (such as is provided by a mercury filled
tube mounted to the periphery of the spinning section)
will augment the natural stabilizing dissipation from
such elements as structural flexing and fuel slosh to
improve the nutation transient settling time. For a
vehicle configuration in which the spinning section has
the minimum moment of inertia (the system highest
energy state), asymptotic stability (with no active con-
trol) is achieved only if the energy dissipation on the
despun element dominates energy dissipation on the
spinning section (which will act as a destabilizing in-
fluence, attempting to force the system into its
minimum energy state). An eddy-current pendulum-
type damper, mounted to the despun platform, has
been used on this type of spacecraft to provide passive
attitude stabilization.
Techniques for active control of nutation using the
despun platform control system when the platform is
dynamically unbalanced are described in [5-81. An on-
orbit demonstration of one concept of active control
VOL. AES-16, No. 1 JANUARY 1980
 COARSE SAIL SUN SENSOR
°- SOLAR PANEL

NUTATION DAMPER
AZIMUTH REFERENCE
ASSEMBLY (GYRO) POINTED INSTRUMENT ASSEMBLY
(/PPIAI
GIMBAL ANGLE SENSOR -MICROSYN CNRS EXPERIMENT
GIMBA
ANGLSELEVATION BEARING ASSEMBLY
EXPERIMENT SADDLE(ERA
PIA SUN SENSORS CUDROU EXPERIMENT

WHEEL SUN SENSOR X -

(EXTENDED RAN GE)G, \. -
SPIN JETS / B
DESPIN BEARING ASSEMBLY (DOA)
STAR SEN
MAGNETIC TORQUING COIL
WHEEL SUN SENSOR (MID-RANGE)
PRECESSION JET

Fig. 2. OS0-8 components for control and aspect

Fig. 1. OS0-8 spacecraft. determination.

using nutation feedback was utilized in the stabiliza-
tion system of the COMSTAR I domestic communica-
tions satellite [9].
For vehicles with payloads on the despun platform
which are articulated (i.e., those payloads having rota-
tional degrees of freedom relative to the platform), an
inherent dynamic coupling can exist between the ar-
ticulated motion of the payload and spacecraft nuta-
tion. Such spacecraft are those which utilize tracking
antennas or contain scientific instruments such as the
OSO and GALILEO spacecraft. This paper describes
design and analysis techniques to take advantage of
this coupling and provide potentially substantial active
nutation control through proper design of the ar-
ticulated payload's control system. It is shown that
active control can be achieved with little or no cost or
weight penalties. Such a technique can either be incor-
porated to provide all the necessary nutation damping
for a spacecraft, or as a separate control mode to
achieve quick transient settling following a maneuver.
The design concept is illustrated through an exam-
ple, that of the Orbiting Solar Observatory (OS0)-8
spacecraft instrument control system. A closed-form
analytical solution to the payload control system/vehi-
cle nutation dynamic interaction problem is presented,
developing a general technique to predict the basic
stability of the interaction and establish design criteria
to maximize damping. It is shown that the basic
stability of the interaction is determined by the con-
trol system alone, and that the strength of the cou-
pling (defined by the system closed-loop nutation
damping time constant) is strongly dependent on both
mass properties and control system dynamics.
Section II presents the nomenclature used.
Section III summarizes the OSO-8 configuration
and control system characteristics, describing the sen-
sor, actuator, and control system used to control the
articulated payload. In Section IV the vehicle and
payload equations of motion are presented, develop-
ing transfer functions which characterize the interac-
tion between the payload and spacecraft dynamics.
The analytical expression for the closed-loop nutation
damping time constant resulting from the control
system interaction is derived and discussed in Sections
V and VI. Finally, in Section VII the results of a
series of on-orbit tests conducted with the OSO-8
spacecraft to evaluate the active nutation damping are
presented, with comparisons of the analytical and
measured coupling.
II. Nomenclature
22
PIA transverse moment of inertia about
elevation gimbal.
1I1, I72 Total spacecraft transverse moments of
inertia.
I. Wheel moment of inertia about the spin
axis.
,33 Sail moment of inertia about the spin
axis.
Q Wheel spin rate.
A, Sail nutation frequency.
cot,I C02, CW)3 Inertial angular rates of Sail (w.3 = spin
axis).
a Sail/wheel relative angular rate about
spin axis.
T, T EBA and DBA internal torques.
MS) Composite control loop transfer func-
tion, excluding nutation dipole.
Magnitude and phase of I(s) evaluated
at Sail nutation frequency.
G.(s Servo and bearing transfer function.
Tactive Nutation time constant due to control
loop coupling.
Tpassive Nutation time constant due to passive
damper.
III. OSO-8 Vehicle and Mission Requirements
The OSO-8 spacecraft is shown in Fig. 1, with the
hardware items which comprise the attitude control
system illustrated in Fig. 2. OSO-8 is a dual-spin vehi-
cle in which the spinning section (the "wheel") spins
at a nominal 6 r/min, providing a system angular

SLAFER: DUAL-SPIN SPACECRAFT NUTATION CONTROL USING ARTICULATED PAYLOADS 75

 angle sensor detect azimuth inertial angle and eleva-
tion gimbal angle. The primary sun sensors for use
when the sun is visible (day) are located on the front
faces of the PIA experiment packages, one sensor on
each experiment.
Low bandwidth servo loops hold attitude during
the eclipse periods. At sunrise, control is automatical-
ly transferred to high bandwidth "day" servos. In ad-
dition to highly stable sun center and offset pointing,
these servos provide a raster scan capability. The
despun platform is scanned back and forth in azimuth
Fig. 3. Passive nutation damper. while the PIA is repetitively stepped in elevation. This
creates a raster which may cover the entire sun (large
raster) or a 150 by 150 arcsec portion (small raster)
located arbitrarily on the sun's disk. A 1 arcsec poin-
ting stability is maintained throughout except during
the raster scan turnarounds.
The attitude control system design for OS0-8 in-
corporates a passive damper as the primary method of
achieving nutation transient settling. The damper
(shown in Fig. 3) is an eddy-current type damper
~400 mounted to the despun Sail structure. The damper,
0 which is essentially a tuned mechanical oscillator, con-
g350 / sists of a single-axis pendulum having a magnetic tip-
z 350MAX SPECIFIED /
mass fixed at one end of the pendulum arm, the other
~~~ I ~~~~~TIME
\ CONSTANT
z
° 300 X___ / end attached to a torsion rod.
Nutation induced motion of the pendular magnet
z 250 \\
group relative to an aluminum alloy conducting vane
generates small electrical eddy currents whose own
magnetic field opposes the field of the magnet group,
200 developing a force that resists pendulum motion.
\V0.20
\ -.770FI/
7 Nutational energy is thereby dissipated as heat, which
150 \t=0.173
( is conducted through the damper structure.
- 150°F
OPERATING RANGE
Damper performance is dependent on temperature
100 _I (which affects damping ratio and energy dissipation
0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
rate) and excitation frequency (due to spacecraft iner-
FREQUENCY RATIO, N (= °W'SAP) tia ratio and spin speed variation). The OS0-8
Fig. 4. Passive nutation damper performance characteristics. damper performance characteristics, showing
spacecraft damping time constant as a function of
momentum of '\.'260 ft * lb- s. The wheel contains both wheel spin rate (or excitation frequency) and
the propulsion and aspect determination subsystems temperature, are given in Fig. 4. Operating at the
and several scientific instruments which make solar natural frequency of the damper (N = 1.0), the time
and celestial X-ray measurements. The despun plat- constant ranges from '-140 s at high damper
form is composed primarily of a solar panel and the temperature (150°F) to '-190 s at the lower
pointed instrument assembly (PIA). The two primary temperature (0° F).
experiment packages making up the PIA rely on solar Because of the articulation of the PIA in eleva-
oriented telescopes (spectrometers) to collect scientific tion, elevation control loop dynamics will couple
data concerning variation of the ultraviolet lines on directly into the spacecraft nutation dynamics. The
the solar disk, particularly in the chromosphere. degree to which the dynamic coupling affects overall
The PIA has two degrees of rotational freedom to nutation damping is a function of the PIA/spacecraft
permit solar pointing. Azimuth motion is achieved by relative inertias and the elevation control loop
rotating the entire despun platform about the despin parameters. The inertially referenced, orbit day con-
bearing axis (DBA) while elevation motion of the PIA trol loop will have no significant influence on
alone is facilitated by an elevation bearing assembly spacecraft nutation damping. However, the orbit
(EBA). Both bearing assemblies house electric torque night control loop is directly coupled into the nutation
motors used for control. Two sets of attitude sensors dynamics and can have a significant effect on overall
are provided. For eclipse periods (once per 90-min or- spacecraft stabilization (as is discussed later). The or-
bit), a rate integrating gyro and a microsyn gimbal bit night control loop block diagram with nominal
76 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS VOL. AES-16, No. 1 JANUARY 1980
 ELEVATION NIGHT SHAPING

PARAMETERS
`03 = 30 RAD/SEC (02 12 RAD/SEC
=

t3= 0.4 r2= 0.65

K = 14.3 FT LB/RAD w'0= 9000 RAD/SEC
w,1 = 0.333 RAD/SEC W0d = 1500 RAD/SEC
td = 0.6
Fig. 5. Elevation night control loop.

parameters is given in Fig. 5. The servo uses the gim- dynamics (i.e., the dynamics around which the orbit
bal angle sensor, measuring the relative angle between night servo is closed) can be derived. In the frequency
the Sail and the PIA, processed by an analog control domain, the dynamics transfer function is given by
shaping network, to derive feedback commands to the (e/Te)() =
EBA electric torque motor. The servo is used to main- (s2+ [(1 - I<G/I) AP2)/s2IPlG
tain a constant angle between the Sail and PIA during
orbit night operations. =-r

IV. Vehicle and Payload Dynam'ics S2 + )~J (6)

For the OSO-8 spacecraft, the linearized differen-
tial equations describing the small angle (Sail despun)
rigid body motion of the system's five rotational
degrees of freedom in a Sail fixed coordinate set are
given below. Three equations describe the motion of
the despun platform, a fourth describes spin motion
of the wheel about the bearing axis, and a fifth equa-
tion describes the elevation motion of the PIA relative
to the Sail. For simplicity in this illustration, the
wheel has been assumed to be both balanced and sym-
metric. In addition, the despun platform itself is both
dynamically and statically balanced (which was the
case for OSO-8). Finally, the passive damper
dynamics have been neglected (their effect is con-
sidered later).
The simplified rotational equations are
I2PIGe
22 + IPIGw2=
22 2 T
IT1AD1 + Q I~.W2 = 0
IPIGe-Qw1+Iw
22 e-Qw T()
=0(33
.
where A,. is the spacecraft nutation frequency with the
Sail despun = (IR/V77~~T ) Q.
Note that the loop dynamics are defined by both
1) the rigid body, single axis dynamics of the
controlled inertia (/III," s2);
2) a complex pole-zero pair describing vehicle
nutation dynamics.
An additional transfer function, representing the
PIA elevation control system dynamics, describes the
derivation of the torque T. from the sensed gimbal
angle e and is defined by
Tele(s) = Ge(s) (7)
where G.(s) comprises the servo dynamics of Fig. 5
(generating the control torque) and a model of the
elevation gimbal friction torque (discussed in Section
1 ) V). The equilvalent block diagram summarizing the
interaction is shown in Fig. 6.
(2) V. Closed-Loop Interaction Analysis
The problem now becomes one of evaluating the
closed-loop effect of this interaction; that is, to define

3= Td (4) the fundamental stability of the interaction and ex-

press analytically the strength of the resulting nutation
Iw(CO3 + a) = - Td. (5) damping or dedamping. The overall closed-loop
system stability characteristics are determined by the
Using these equations, the elevation loop "plant" system characteristic equation,
SLAFER: DUAL-SPIN SPACECRAFT NUTATION CONTROL USING ARTICULATED PAYLOADS 7 77
 NUTATION DIPOLE

2
+)X2p Tel
IPI
No
[(I-r)S2+X2
0. -I~~~~~~~~~~PIG
22
H (5)
22 P NET
TORQUE

WHERE:
IP/G
r= - (DYNAMICS COUPLING FACTOR)
IT
Ge (S)
H (S) =
(PG
2 (ELEVATION DYNAMICS EXCLUDING NUTATION DIPOLE)
22
Fig. 6. Equivalent representation of elevation control system interaction with nutation dynamics.

s2{1 - r/[1 + H(s)J} + A2 = 0. (8) stant, with the result (l/Tactiv) = - Re {As}. There-
fore, the nutation time constant resulting from the in-
Note that for H(s) = 0 (i.e., no active control) the teraction of the control system with vehicle nutation is
characteristic roots are undamped and given by given by
+So = j,l/(l - r)½/2 (9) Tactive = [2(1 - r)3'2/ r A,] {[l + 2(A/1 - r) cos +

which becomes the classic nutation frequency with
r = 0. For H(s) # 0, the roots will in general change
slightly from so to a new value, so + As. The real part
of the root perturbation As will determine the amount
of damping attributable to the servo coupling effect.
Thus, the object now is to determine the location
of the closed-loop nutation roots in the s plane; that
is, the real part of the pole which defines the ex-
ponential growth or decay (stability or instability) of
nutation in the coupled, closed-loop system.
Several approaches can be taken to determine As
and therefore the active nutation damping effect.
Digital computer solution of (8) will provide an exact
result, but with little or no insight as to how the
character of H(s) influences the interaction. Computer
simulation of the vehicle equations of motion will
yield time responses of transverse rates illustrating the
interaction but, again, providing no insight. The ap-
proach taken here, on the other hand, makes use of
the typically justifiable approximation that the pertur-
bation of the open-loop root by closed-loop system in-
teraction is relatively small, and yields maximum
design insight with no significant loss in accuracy of
the results.
Therefore, letting s = so + As in (8), solving for
As, and neglecting second-order As2 terms, we get
As = rs/{2 [I - r + H(so + As)]}.
By further application of the IAsI'«lsoI approximation,
we make the substitution
H(so + As) - H(j Ap/( I Aei+
and solve for the real part of As and the damping con-
78 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
+ (A/i - r)2]/[ - (A/1 - r)sinflj} (12)
which can also be expressed in the form,
Tactive = [ - 2(1 - r)312/r Ap,] AA,+) (13)
(with A = A/(1_- ) - A for r < 1, typically the
case) where M(A, 4) consolidates the dependence in
(12) of Tactive on control loop gain and phase shift at
nutation frequency. Note the following:
1) The effects of mass properties on system damp-
ing can be isolated from the control system effects.
The quantities r and 2(1 - r)312/r A, are constant for
a given vehicle mass properties set, while A and + are
variable, a result of control system design procedures
and gimbal dynamics.
2) Since 0 K r < 1, the sign of the time constant
(implying a positive or negative nutation exponen-
tial-a stable or unstable interaction) is determined
solely by the characteristics of the control system open
loop transmission of nutation frequency. Selection of
mass properties cannot effect the basic stability of the
interaction (other than as they alter nutation fre-
quency)-it can only modify the strength of the coup-
ling and thus the absolute value of the resulting time
constant.
By observing the sign characteristics of the func-
(10) tion,
M(A,4)) =(1 + A2 + 2 cos +)/A sin4)
(11) it can be shown that for a positive nutation time con-
stant (hence a stable interaction resulting in active
nutation damping) the transmission phase angle + of
VOL. AES-16, No. 1 JANUARY 1980
nutation frequency through the system function H(s) I-IH[/-p + Ap/(l - r)V2J - H[AP/(1 - r)vI2J (18)
must lie in the third or fourth quadrants, i.e.,
180° < + K 360° forTactive 0. can be included in the previous analysis.
In addition, it can be shown that the system coup-
ling is weakest_for both high open-loop gains (A > 1) VI. Elevation Night Active Nutation Control
or low gain (A < 1). For a gain much larger than
unity, the system time constant can be approximated Effect of EBA Friction Torque
from (12) as
The elements which comprise the system function
Tactive -[-2(1 -r32/rAJ[A/sin ], A> 1 (14) used in the stability analysis (H(s)) include both the
elevation control loop and gimbal friction dynamics.
i.e., Tactive increases linearly with gain (for a fixed As determined by prelaunch tests on the OSO-8 gim-
phase angle). Similarly, for a gain much smaller than bal assembly, and from data obtained during the on-
unity, the time constant can be approximated as orbit nutation damping tests, for small angle (< 0.1 9
gimbal motion, the bearing assembly acts as a simple,
Tactive- [-2(1 - 312/rA [1/A sin ], A< 1 (15) lightly damped spring with a spring constant (kf) a
function of the relative angle amplitude. Over the
with Tacive increasing as A becomes smaller. In either gimbal range developed during the nutation damping
case, the basic time constant defined by the mass pro- tests (0.02 'to 0.06 9, the spring constant ranges from
perties {2(1 - ,)312/r A,,} is modified by the gain A 16 ft- lb/rad to 28 ft lb/rad, with the higher value oc-
(or 1/A) which tends to decouple the control system curring at the smaller amplitudes. The effect of the
at the extremes of loop gain. A more detailed evalua- elastic friction model is to increase the low frequency
tion of the system function AAA, +) is illustrated in gain of the composite system dynamics, H(s). Because
Fig. 7 which shows the effects on MAA, +) of changes the dc gain of the elevation control loop is only 14.32
in open loop gain A for several values of +. By obser- ft *lb/rad, and since nutation is at a relatively low fre-
ving the characteristics of (12) presented in the figure, quency (0.11 Hz at 6 r/min), the gimbal friction
the following conclusions can be drawn. The first is dynamics will significantly affect the overall active
that the "optimum" relationship between A and + to nutation damping.
minimize AT, +) and hence provide maximum nuta-
tion damping, effectively tuning the control system to Predicted Active Nutation Damping
nutation, is to have A = 1 with + = 180°. This is the
same condition which defines the stability boundary Based on the previous analysis, for the nominal
of the control system. Also, this condition is effective- control loop parameters and spacecraft mass proper-
ly a "saddle point" of MA, +). For A# 1 with + = ties, the active nutation damping predicted for the
180 °, Tactiv becomes infinite; i.e., the system is un- OS0-8 elevation night servo as a function of wheel
coupled from nutation. The figure also shows that for spin rate and friction coupling is summarized in Fig.
a phase angle other than 180 '(for "practical" 8. The graph shows the control loop coupling to in-
designs), the optimum gain to provide the maximum crease at the higher spin rates. This is a result of the
possible coupling (and minimum time constant) is for nominal open-loop gain crossover of the servo at
the modified open loop gain (A) to be as close to - 0.4 Hz being higher than spacecraft nutation fre-
unity as possible. quency at the lower spin rates (0.11 Hz at 6 r/min),
The damping provided by a passive damping i.e., the magnitude of H(fi,) is greater than unity at
mechanism or other energy dissipation sources (such low spin rates and decreases (toward 0 dB) with in-
as structural flexing or fuel slosh effects) can be creasing spin speed. Thus the control loop is "detun-
added directly to the active damping of the control ed" from nutation as discussed above. However, as
system. The net resulting time constant can be deter- shown in Fig. 7, the nominal damping from the loop,
mined from the following relationship (assuming only while not "optimum," is still equivalent to that of the
that Tactive and Tpassive are long with respect to nutation passive damper, and far superior at spin rates above 7
period). r/min. At a spin rate of 9 r/min, the passive damper
time constant is \400 s, while the active control
(l/Tnet) = (1/Tactivd + (1/TpaSsivd (16) achievable by the control loop ranges from 95 s to
130 s (depending on kf).
or The above damping characteristics result from
analyzing the basic performance of the night control
Tnet Tactive Tpassive/(Tactive + Tpassive)- (17) system which had not been originally designed with
nutation damping as a primary requirement. If the
This relationship is valid assuming ATpassive E 1, in control loop had been designed to "optimize" the
which case the approximation coupling with nutation (maximizing the damping), a
SLAFER: DUAL-SPIN SPACECRAFT NUTATION CONTROL USING ARTICULATED PAYLOADS 79
 100

10. 1040

0
U-

OPE LOO IHS ATI \t NT:M A )M(/,

A=OP OPENLOOP ATX GAIN

= OPEN LOOP PHASE AT A.

0.1
0.1 110 0 2 4 6 8
OPEN LOOP GAIN, A WHEEL SPIN RATE, RPM

Fig. 7. Active nutation damping as a function of control loop gain Fig. 8. OS0-8 predicted elevation night control loop nutation dam-
and phase. ping.

time constant of 25 s could have been achieved at a The first portion of the test would determine the
spin rate of 10 r/min, a fivefold improvement over damping characteristics of the passive damper alone
the passive damper operating at its resonant condi- (the inertially referenced day loop being uncoupled
tion. from nutation). The second phase would determine
the composite (passive plus active) damping
VII. On-Orbit Testing for Design Verification characteristics. Superposition was then used to
estimate the active portion of the damping, i.e.,
In support of the development of the dual spin
GALILEO spacecraft, the NASA Jet Propulsion I /Tactive /Tnet /Tpassive
Laboratory sponsored a series of tests on the OSO-8
spacecraft (conducted in October of 1978) in an at- Results
tempt to obtain on-orbit data evaluating the actual ac-
tive nutation damping characteristics of the control Time histories showing the telemetry data received
system for comparison with the analytical predictions. during two of the on-orbit tests are given in Figs. 9
The approach to the tests and the resulting data ob- and 10. Fig. 9 illustrates nutation transient settling
tained from the tests are discussed below. with the control system operating in orbit day control
mode at a wheel spin rate of 8.4 r/min (showing the
Approach gimbal angle response during the test). Fig. 10 shows
the elevation angle time response with the control
In order to determine the actual nutation damping system operating in night control mode at a spin rate
contributed by the orbit night control loop, tests were of 5.9 r/min. The data in both figures represent the
conducted at spin rates of 5.9 and 8.4 r/min. The test composite spin axis coning motion which consists of
procedure involved configuring the control system in both steady-state wobble (spin frequency coning due
orbit day mode, pulse-firing an axial thruster to in- to residual static and dynamic unbalance of the wheel)
duce nutation, observing the nutation decay rate via in addition to the transient nutation induced by the
elevation gimbal angle telemetry, and then repeating thruster firing. The measured wobble angle on OSO-8
the test with the system operating in orbit night mode. was '-0.02 0. Since the nutation amplitude created by

80 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS VOL. AES-16, No. 1 JANUARY 1980
 2.50

5 0 1 I I I I I I
1.50 _

C, 0.50 _-
a
UJ

z
-0.50 _-
J

-1.50 _

-2.50

0.50 1.50 2.50 3.50 4.50 5.50 6.50 7.50 -10+2

TIME, SECONDS/0.640

Fig. 9. Nutation damping in day control mode (8.4 r/min).

1.40

1.00

O 0.60
0

O 0.20

(0 ii i i i MH lHHHliii I jillIllII!l111111111111111
m 1111111111111111111111111|1111111111I
va
im ii lv ii lv lilali ii iil . a2al aa ii ii aa
z
z -0.20
0

u
0.60

-1.00

-1.40
-
I 1 1
0.50 1.50 2.50 3.50 4.50 5.50 6.50 7.50 -10+2
TIME, SECONDS/0.640

Fig. 10. Nutation damping in night control mode (5.9 r/min).

a single pulse firing of the axial thruster was 0.02 'to
0.04 °, the data shown in the figures depict the result
of the superposition of two sinusoidal terms which are
close in frequency (nutation frequency being 1.12
times wheel spin frequency) and amplitude. The data
seen in the telemetry data can be expressed analyti-
cally as
net(t) = e)wobble- sin (w spint) + nutation
sin (Apt + +o)
where +o represents an arbitrary nutation phase angle.
Thus in the steady-state (t o) the telemetry signal
will be a pure sinusoid at spin frequency with
amplitude equal to the wobble angle. The nutation
decay time constant was extracted from the data by
SLAFER: DUAL-SPIN SPACECRAFT NUTATION CONTROL USING ARTICULATED PAYLOADS
plotting the nutation amplitude as a function of time
(determined from the sum and difference amplitudes
of the composite telemetry data) and fitting an ex-
perimential curve to the resulting nutation response.
The summary nutation decay profiles for the day
and night mode damping tests are summarized in
Figs. 11 and 12 (for wheel spin rates of 8.4 and 5.9
r/min, respectively). The resulting time constant data
e are summarized in Fig. 13. At the higher speed of 8.4
r/min with the passive damper operating off its
resonance, the total vehicle damping observed with
the control system in the high gain day control mode
was 'V345 s, very close to the anticipated passive
damper performance. At the same wheel speed, but
operating in night control mode, a lower total system
damping time constant of 120 s was measured. Using
81
 200

I F
00

_MODE >
T>345 SEC Z

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
MINUTES

Fig. 11. 8.4 r/min day and night mode nutation decay.

500 H 10
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
WHEEL SPIN RATE, RPM

Fig. 13. OS0-8 elevation night control loop nutation

damping summary.
400

quency and thus higher open-loop gain of the control

0
z
system, it is expected that the active nutation damping
0
u
300 _
will be weaker than that at 8.4 r/min. The measured
spacecraft damping time constant (in night control
mode) of 110 s implies an active damping component
of only 330 s. This compares to the predicted value of
200 _- ^'360 s for larger nutation amplitudes. Again, the
results are within the range attributable to expected
parameter tolerances and measurement uncertainties.
Overall the results of the on-orbit testing verify the
100 _ expected coupling of the PIA elevation control loop,
with good agreement between the analytically
predicted nutation damping and the on-orbit
measurements. The sensitivity of the nutation/servo
une IE coupling dynamics to control system design
1 2 3 4
MINUTES
5 6 7
parameters was also observed, with the general test
results predicted by the analytically derived design
Fig. 12. 5.9 r/min day and night mode nutation decay. criteria.

superposition, this implies a damping time constant VIII. Conclusions

attributable to the night control loop (including elastic
gimbal friction) of 184 s. The analytically predicted
time constant at 8.4 r/min is 167 s at low nutation
amplitudes. This result is well within the measurement
accuracy and control loop parameter tolerances.
At the lower spin rate of 5.9 r/min, the passive
damper is operating near its design point and
generates a day control mode nutation damping time
constant of 'V165 s. With the lower nutation fre-
82 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
The ability to actively control nutation on a dual
spin spacecraft by proper design of the control system
dynamics of an articulated payload was demonstrated
by the on-orbit testing performed on OSO-8.
Although not the primary nutation damping technique
on OSO-8, the coupling of the PIA elevation night
servo dynamics with vehicle nutation was sufficiently
strong to provide damping superior to that of the
VOL. AES-16, No. 1 JANUARY 1980
primary passive damper for a range of spin rates. The
predicted interaction strength (as defined by the nuta-
tion decay time constant), which was based on
prelaunch, nominal servo parameters and spacecraft
mass properties, of 350 s at a spin rate of 6 r/min,
compares well with the measured 330 s damping time
constant attributed to the control system.
At the higher spin rate of 8.4 r/min, where the
control loop is more strongly coupled to nutation,
substantial active control (180-s time constant) was
demonstrated. Thus the analytical design criteria for
achieving active control by proper selection of the
control system parameters were verified with the on-
orbit tests.
Acknowledgment
The author would like to acknowledge the help of
Dr. R. Stoller of the NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in
sponsoring the OSO-8 on-orbit tests, and P. Welton
of Hughes Aircraft Company, who conducted the
tests and obtained a significant amount of data in a
very short time.

References [5] K.J. Phillips, "Active nutation damping utilizing spacecraft

[11 A.J. lorillo, "Analysis related to the Hughes gyrostat
system," Hughes Aircraft Co., Los Angeles, Calif., Rep.
SSDT0438B, Dec. 1967.
[2] P.W. Likins, "Attitude stability criteria for a dual-spin
spacecraft," J. Spacecr. Rockets, vol. 4, pp. 1638-1643 Apr.
1967.
[3] D.L. Mingori, "Effects of energy dissipation on the attitude
stability of dual spin satellites," AIAA J., vol. 7, pp. 20-27,
Jan. 1969.
[4] J.T. Neer, "Intelsat IV nutation dynamics," presented at the
AIAA 4th Communications Satellite Conf., 1972,
Washington, D.C., AIAA paper 72-537.
mass properties," IEEE Trans. Aerosp. Electron. Syst., vol.
AES-9. Sept. 1973.
[6] , "Linearization of the closed-loop dynamics of a
dual spin spacecraft," J. Spacecr. Rockets, vol. 8, pp.
938-945, Sept. 1971.
[7] I.P. Leliakov and P.M. Barba, "Damping spacecraft nuta-
tion by means of a despun antenna," presented at the
AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conf., Vail, Colo., 1973.
[8] J.W. Smay and L.I. Slafer, "Dual-spin spacecraft stabiliza-
tion using nutation feedback and inertia coupling," J.
Spacecr. Rockets, vol. 13, pp. 650-659, Nov. 1976.
[9] L.I. Slafer and J.W. Smay, "COMSTAR spacecraft
product-of-inertia coupled electronic nutation damper," J.
Guidance Contr., vol. 1, pp. 273-278, July-Aug. 1978.

Loren I. Slafer was born in Duluth, Minn., on August 8, 1945. He received the
B.S., M.S., and Engineer degrees in electrical engineering in 1968, 1970, and
1973, respectively, from the University of Southern California at Los Angeles.
He is currently a Senior Staff Engineer in the Guidance and Control Systems
Laboratory of Hughes Aircraft Company's Space and Communications Group,
El Segundo, Calif., where he is involved in the design and analysis of satellite at-
titude control systems. He has participated in a number of satellite programs, in-
cluding the Intelsat-IV and IVA Synchronous Orbit Communications Satellites,
ANIK I, the Canadian Domestic Communication Satellite, and the Orbiting Solar
Observatory (OSO-8) program. He is currently responsible for developing the at-
titude control system for the LEASAT shuttle-optimized maritime communica-
tions satellite. His interests include multiloop control system synthesis and control
of large, flexible spacecraft.
Mr. Slafer is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu and is a registered
Professional Engineer in the state of California.
SLAFER: DUAL-SPIN SPACECRAFT NUTATION CONTROL USING ARTICULATED PAYLOADS 83