NBOD & DISCOS — Dynamic Interaction Simulation of Controls and Structure

The general purpose multibody dynamics program NBOD and its follow-on companion DISCOS were developed with the expressed purpose of supporting spacecraft attitude control system design and analysis needs. During the past 2 decades, the interplay of NASA requirements with a desire to maximize software application generality has guided their development. The intent of this chapter is to chronologically outline the major technological advancements that enabled the development of these codes. Underlying theory is presented at the highest level with an emphasis on providing engineering insight needed for basic understanding and to judge program suitability for particular applications.