Spacecraft attitude control and stabilization: Applications of geometric control theory to rigid body models

In this paper, we study the attitude control problem for spacecraft with gas jet or momentum exchange actuators, using the recent nonlinear geometric control theory. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for controllability of the system in the case that the gas jet actuators yield one, two, or three independent torques. In the case of momentum exchange devices, controllability is studied with three independent actuators, and controllability is shown to be impossible with fewer devices. The former conditions with gas jet actuators are presented in three equivalent ways, and an equivalence is established with an earlier condition by Baillieul. The local controllability problem is also studied in the case of gas jet actuators yielding two independent torques. Using these results, an algorithm stabilizing the controllable system around an equilibrium state and trajectory is outlined, as proposed by Hermes. In the situations considered, however, the linearized systems are not controllable.