SPINUP DYNAMICS OF BIAXIAL GYROSTATS

We study the spinup dynamics of gyrostats containing two axisymmetric rotors which are parallel to principal axes of the gyrostat. Spinup of the rotors is due to small constant torques applied by the platform. The dynamics are described by five first-order ordinary differential e quations. Conservation of angular momentum is used to reduce the order by one; this reduction separates the fast and slow variables so that averaging may be applied, giving a further approximate reduction to a system of three equations for the slow variables. Visualization of spi nup dynamics in the slow space makes it possible to predict and avoid resonance conditions which may result in abrupt orientation changes.