3D Pendulum Experimental Setup for Earth-based Testing of the Attitude Dynamics of an Orbiting Spacecraft

A 3D pendulum implemented using a triaxial air bearing system is proposed for Earth-based testing of orbiting spacecraft attitude dynamics and closed loop systems. This proposal is based on prior research on attitude dynamics and control of orbiting spacecraft, attitude dynamics and control of the 3D pendulum, and an experimental implementation of the 3D pendulum in our laboratory, referred to as the triaxial attitude control testbed (TACT). These research themes are integrated to assess the strengths and weaknesses of such an Earth-based testbed for spacecraft attitude dynamics and control hardware and software components. Several different cases, based on the importance of orbital effects and gravitational effects, are analyzed.