Multiple rigid-body reorientation using relative motion with constrained final system configuration

Moveable appendages in multibody spacecraft can augment or replace the atti tude control actuators. In this work, motions of the movable bodies relativ e to the main body are used to adjust the system's inertial attitude so as to approach or attain a desired target attitude. A control algorithm design ed to generate the maneuver commands that cause the necessary relative moti ons is tested with several cases representing a variety of dynamic conditio ns. The control can accommodate many different system configurations and dy namic conditions such as nonzero system momentum, a problem that historical ly has proved difficult to solve in a generalized, three-dimensional mode. Additionally, the control can return the system's geometric configuration t o its initial state by the conclusion of the reorientation. The results ind icate that the control can accomplish nearly complete reorientations in all cases tested while meeting the system constraints.