Heteroclinic dynamics and attitude motion chaotization of coaxial bodies and dual-spin spacecraft

Heteroclinic dynamics of a free coaxial bodies system and dual-spin spacecraft is examined. New analytical solutions for heteroclinic orbits, corresponded to the polhodes-separatrices in the space of the angular moment components, are obtained. On the base of these analytical heteroclinic solutions analysis of possibility of the system motion chaotization with the help of Melnikov method is conducted. The analysis shows the polhode-separatrix-orbit splitting at presence of small harmonical perturbation torques between the coaxial bodies. The separatrix splitting generates the chaotic layer near the unperturbed separatrix region. This fact proves possibility of realization of non-regular dynamics and chaotic tilting motion of the dual-spin spacecraft. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.