Rigid Body Dynamics for Space Applications

Most space systems can be considered as a system of rigid bodies, and in some cases, with additional elastic and viscoelastic elements and fuel residuals. Rigid Body Dynamics for Space Applications shows the nature of the phenomena and explains the behavior of space objects. The book covers modern problems of spaceflight mechanics, such as attitude dynamics of re-entry and space debris in Earth's atmosphere; dynamics and control of coaxial satellite gyrostats; deployment, dynamics and control of a tether-assisted return mission of a re-entry capsule; and removal of large space debris by a tether tow. Researchers working on spacecraft attitude dynamics or space debris removal as well as those in the fields of mechanics, aerospace engineering and aerospace science will benefit from this book. Provides a complete treatise of modelling attitude for a range of novel and modern attitude control problems of spaceflight mechanicsFeatures chapters on the application of rigid body dynamics to atmospheric re-entries, tethered assisted re-entry and on tethered space debris removalShows relatively simple ways of constructing mathematical models and analytical solutions describing the behavior of very complex material systemsUses modern methods of regular and chaotic dynamics to obtain results