Stabilization of the Solar Orientation Mode of an Artificial Satellite of the Earth Without Accumulation of the Angular Momentum of the Gyro System

The motion of an artificial Earth satellite in different variants of the solar orientation mode in the low Earth orbit is investigated. The satellite is close in shape to a cylinder with two solar arrays. Nonrotating solar arrays are located symmetrically relative to it along the satellite’s longitudinal axis. In the solar mode normal to the plane of the satellite’s solar arrays invariably directed toward the Sun, the longitudinal axis lies near the plane of the orbit and the absolute angular velocity of the satellite is very small. A gyro system (a set of reaction wheels or gyrodines) is used as the decision-making centers of the satellite’s control system. Two versions of the law controlling the angular momentum of the gyro system are considered. The first variant provides only the attenuation of the disturbed motion of the satellite in the vicinity of the rest position at the required speed. The second variant further limits the growth of the accumulated angular momentum of the gyro system by controlling the angle of rotation of the satellite around the normal to the plane of the solar arrays.