Analytical and semi-analytical analysis of an artificial satellite's rotational motion (Q1576479)

The authors study the rotational motion of an artificial satellite of cylindrical shape by considering torques produced by gravity gradient and by direct solar radiation pressure. Analytical expressions are derived for direct solar radiation in Andoyer variables by using Lagrange's method of variations of parameters. The authors also propose a semi-analytical procedure to predict the attitude of the satellite under the influence of Earth's shadow. The analytical solutions show that angular variables can be expressed as linear and periodic functions, whereas the conjugate variables are periodic functions. The analytical and semi-analytical solutions agree with each other during the time range considered.