Control of chaotic motion in a spinning spacecraft with a circumferential nutational damper (Q1288718)

The authors apply recursive proportional feedback and continuous delayed feedback methods to the title problem, because these methods do not require any a priori knowledge of the system dynamics. The aim is to study a simplified model of spinning spacecraft where the platform and non-principal axis are not considered. The circumferential damper is chosen instead of an axial one in order to reduce the problem to a plane situation, and because of its effectiveness in operations over a wide range of nutation angles. The authors derive the governing equations and give a brief description of arising chaotic instabilities. Each of the above mentioned techniques is discussed, and their effectiveness in controlling chaotic motion is verified by using analytical tools and numerical simulations.