Stability investigation of multibody spacecraft

Combining two different approaches-minimization of equivalent potential ene rgy, and linearization of the governing equations of motion, a necessary an d sufficient condition for stability of relative equilibria for motions of multi-degree-of-freedom systems, in an orbital frame, is established. The s tationary orientations of a three-body, five-degree-of-freedom spacecraft a re investigated; and the theoretical results are substantiated by numerical simulation.MSC (1991): 70J05; 70E15, 70J25, 70M20, 70H35.