Questions on ascertaining, predicting, and controlling spatial orientation and rotation of spacecraft, and on forces that affect spatial orientation.
Questions tagged [attitude]
242 questions
32
votes
5 answers
Can you turn in space without propulsion?
Say an astronaut is floating perfectly still inside their spaceship. Can they rotate themselves by stretching out their arms and twisting one way, then pulling in their arms to their sides and untwisting, and repeating? A bit like how a cat turns in…
Innovine
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7
votes
1 answer
Knudsen Pumps - Have they been used in Space Exploration?
I hit another Wikipedia tunnel of information, starting with the first link and progressing to the last:
Why do two Starships dock in such a manner their heat shields face opposite sides?
Crooke's Radiometer
Thermal Transpiration
Knudsen…
Magic Octopus Urn
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6
votes
1 answer
How does gravity-gradient stabilization work?
I understand there is a stabilizing force due to gravity gradient. What I'm unsure about is the stabilization part. How does it work?
It looks like to me that this tidal force would just make the craft swing around back and forth around the stable…
Calmarius
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6
votes
4 answers
Does a single off-axis thruster firing continuously eventually stabilize attitude gyroscopically?
I was recently reading a very good sci-fi story recounting, in loving detail and with a good deal of accuracy, the first space program of an alien race, with strong (intentional) similarities to the American and Soviet endeavors. One thing caught my…
Nathan Tuggy
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5
votes
2 answers
Algorithm for minimum thruster usage to control three axes
In order to control 3 axes, the spacecraft has 4 thrusters. These thruster's torques can divide the space around the spacecraft into four regions. Consequently, by eliminating one of the thrusters, we can obtain reduced matrix 3*3. How can we…
khouane boulanouar
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2
votes
1 answer
How can I compute the attitude of a satellite given its yaw, pitch, roll, and velocity?
How can I compute the attitude of a satellite given its yaw, pitch, roll, and velocity?
Yaw, Pitch, and Roll are given with respect to the velocity vector (A vector whose origin is the satellite's center towards to the direction of motion).
The…
user10638
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