Magazine Article

Momentum Management Tool for Low-Thrust Missions

TBMG-8426

09/01/2010

Abstract
Content

A momentum management tool was designed for the Dawn low-thrust interplanetary spacecraft en route to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres, in an effort to better understand the early creation of the solar system. Momentum must be managed to ensure the spacecraft has enough control authority to perform necessary turns and hold a fixed inertial attitude against external torques. Along with torques from solar pressure and gravity-gradients, ion-propulsion engines produce a torque about the thrust axis that must be countered by the four reaction wheel assemblies (RWA).

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Citation
"Momentum Management Tool for Low-Thrust Missions," Mobility Engineering, September 1, 2010.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Sep 1, 2010
Product Code
TBMG-8426
Content Type
Magazine Article
Language
English