Chaotic attitude motion of a magnetic rigid spacecraft in a circular orbit near the equatorial plane (Q1850135)

The authors study the chaotic attitude motion of a magnetic rigid spacecraft in a circular orbit near the equatorial plane of the Earth. Melnikov analysis is carried out to prove the existence of a complicated nonwandering Cantor set. The dynamical behavior is investigated numerically by means of time history, Poincaré map, power spectrum and Lyapunov exponents. Numerical simulations indicate that the onset of chaos is characterized by the break of torus as the torque of magnetic force is increased.