Reaction thrusters (RTs) are used as an alternative to momentum exchange devices when disturbance torques exceed the control authority of momentum exchange devices. The reaction control system (RCS) can employ some rocket thrusters to provide attitude control during the thrusting or coast phase. Within the control loop, the RCS's target could be either achieving and keeping a certain attitude or controlling the rate of an attitude change. In the coast phase, some tasks such as preacceleration, settling of liquid propellant, damping of structural vibrations, providing a velocity increment to separate stages and payloads, and carrying out orbital and nonorbital maneuvers may be included in its functions. The propulsion perturbation torques, whose size is relatively large, are primarily produced because of the center of mass offset, which itself is produced as a result of static unbalance, transient gas flow phenomenon, and nozzle cant angle misalignments. Nozzle cant angle misalignments are produced because of manufacturing tolerances and pressurizations, which should be compensated by the attitude control system. In addition, rocket thruster plume impingement against surrounding structure or components produces sizable disturbance torques and cross-coupling effects that degrade the dynamic stability and increase the duty cycle that should be corrected by additional thrusters to restore vehicle attitude. During each maneuver, there are always undesirable angular rotations in consequence of some errors and uncertainties in the various components of a spacecraft. The attitude control system has to be capable of compensating these imperfect effects of the mechanical system.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    A study of spacecraft reaction thruster configurations for attitude control system


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2017-07-01


    Size :

    3892029 byte




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    New thruster configurations for spacecraft attitude control systems

    Colburn, B. K. / Chakravarthi, K. R. / Drinkard, D. M. et al. | NTRS | 1976



    Disturbance Accommodating Spacecraft Attitude Control Using Thruster

    Kim, J. / American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics / American Astronautical Society | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1996


    Thruster design for position/attitude control of spacecraft

    Servidia, P.A. / Sanchez Pena, R.S. | IEEE | 2002


    Comparison of Thruster Configurations in Attitude Control Systems

    J. S. Boland / D. M. Drinkard / L. R. White et al. | NTIS | 1973