CLOSEST BIFURCATION-ANALYSIS AND ROBUST STABILITY DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE SATELLITES

We consider the design of a satellite to ensure robust stability in a high-dimensional parameter space. Starting with a given nominal design that is stable, we compute instabilities that are locally closest to the nominal design in the design parameter space. If these worst-case instabilities are too close, we compute a design that is sufficiently far from the worst-ease instabilities and hence sufficiently robust. T he methods are based on computations from bifurcation theory and are c onsiderably simplified by our assumption of a Hamiltonian satellite, w hich includes spin-stabilized satellites, dual-spin-stabilized satelli tes, and gravity-gradient-stabilized satellites. The Hamiltonian assum ption is then relaxed to allow the inclusion of damping terms. We illu strate the computations by ensuring the robust stability of a flexible dual-spin satellite with six design parameters.