The Influence of Tidal Forces on the Motion of Spacecraft. Rotator Model in Orbit
Abstract
The simplest model of an artificial satellite of the Earth is proposed, on the basis of which the influence of tidal forces on the rotational motion of the satellite can be studied. It is shown that the mathematical equations describing the rotational motion do not contain small parameters. The absence of such parameters means that tidal forces have a significant effect on the rotational motion of the satellite. Numerical solutions of the obtained equations can be studied by students based on the use of procedures for solving differential equations available in MATLAB and Octave environments. Such numerical experiments allow us to judge the stability of the satellite’s movements depending on the given initial states.
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