I. I. Kosenko

On periodic motions of an orbital dumbbell-shaped body with a cabin-elevator

The motion of a dumbbell-shaped body (a pair of massive points connected with each other by a weightless rod along which the elevator, i.e., a third point, is moving according to a given law) in an attractive Newtonian central field is considered. In particular, such a mechanical system can be considered as a simplified model of an orbital cable system equipped with an elevator. The practically most interesting case where the cabin performs periodic “shuttle”motions is studied. Under the assumption that the elevator mass is small compared with the dumbbell mass, the Poincaré theory is used to determine the conditions for the existence of families of system periodic motions analytically depending on the arising small parameter and passing into some stable radial steady-state motion of the unperturbed problem as the small parameter tends to zero. It is also proved that, for sufficiently small parameter values, each of the radial relative equilibria generates exactly one family of such periodic motions. The stability of the obtained periodic solutions is studied in the linear approximation, and these solutions themselves are calculated up to terms of the firstorder in the small parameter.The contemporary studies of the motion of orbital dumbbell systems apparently originated in Okunev’s papers [1, 2]. These studies were continued in [3], where plane motions of an orbit tether (represented as a dumbbell-shaped satellite) in a circular orbit were considered in the satellite approximation. In [4], in the case of equal masses and in the unbounded statement, the energy-momentum method was used to perform the dynamic reduction of the problem and analyze the stability of relative equilibria. A similar technique was used in [5], where, in contrast to the above-mentioned problems, the massive points were connected by an elastic spring resisting to compression and forming a dumbbell with elastic properties. Under such assumptions, the stability of radial configurations was investigated in that paper. The bifurcations and stability of steady-state configurations of a deformable elastic dumbbell were also studied in [6]. Various obstacles arising in the construction of orbital cable systems, in particular, the strong deformability of known materials, were discussed in [7].In [8], the problem of orbital motion of a pair of massive points connected by an inextensible weightless cable was considered in the exact statement. In other words, it was assumed that a unilateral constraint is imposed on themassive points. The conditions of stability of vertical positions of the relative equilibria of the cable system, which were obtained in [8], can be used for any ratio of the subsatellite and station masses. In turn, these results agree well with the results obtained earlier in the studies of stability of vertical configurations in the case of equal masses of the system end bodies [3, 4].One of the basic papers in the dynamics of three-body orbital cable systems is the paper [9]. The steady-state motions and their bifurcations and stability were studied depending on the elevator cabin position in [10].

On Relative Equilibria of an Orbital Station in Regions near the Triangular Libration Points

Consider the problem of motion of a mechanical system consisting of two bodies E and L traveling in Kepler’s circular orbits under the action of forces of mutual attraction (Fig. 1). It is supposed that dimensions of body L are finite and body S is attached to the surface of body L at points P 1 and P 2 by a pair of inextensible weightless tethers of lengths l 1 and l 2 , respectively (compare with [1–4]). Body S is assumed to be sufficiently light and to exert no influence on the motion of bodies E and L .

On planar oscillations of a body with a variable mass distribution in an elliptic orbit

Planar motion of an orbiting body having a variable mass distribution in a central field of gravity is under analysis. Within the so-called ‘satellite approximation’ planar attitude dynamics is reduced to the 3/2-degrees of freedom description by one ODE of second order. The law of the mass distribution variations implying an existence of the special relative equilibria, such that the body is oriented pointing to the attracting centre by the same axis for any value of the orbit eccentricity is indicated. For particular example of an orbiting dumb-bell equipped by a massive cabin, wandering between the ends of the dumb-bell. For this example stability of the equilibria such that the dumb-bell ‘points to’ the attracting centre by one of its ends is studied. The chaoticity of global dynamics is investigated. Two important examples of a vibrating dumb-bell and of a dumb-bell equipped by a cabin wandering between its endpoints are considered. The dynamics of space objects, including moving elements, has been investigated by many authors. These studies usually have been connected with the necessity to estimate the influence of relative motions of moving parts, for example, crew motions [1, 2], circulation of liquids [3], etc. on the attitude dynamics of a spacecraft. The development of projects of large-scale space systems with mobile elements, in particular, of satellite systems with tethered elements and space elevators, has posed problems related to their dynamics. Various aspects of the role of mass distribution even for the simplest orbiting systems, like dumb-bell systems are known since the publications [4–7], etc. The possibility of the sudden loss of stability because of the mass redistribution has been pointed out in reference [8] (see also references [9–13]). The considered system belongs to the mentioned class of systems and represents by itself one of the simplest systems allowing both analytical and numerical treatment, without supplementary simplifying assumptions such as smallness of the orbital eccentricity. Another set of applied problems is related to orientation keeping of the system for deployment and retrieval of tethered subsatellites as well as for relative cabin motions of space elevators. In particular, the problem of the stabilization/destabilization possibility for the given state of motion due to rapid oscillations of the cabin exists. This could be the subject of another additional investigation.

Pendulum motions of extended lunar space elevator

In the usual everyday life, it is well known that the inverted pendulum is unstable and is ready to fall to “all four sides,” to the left and to the right, forward and backward. The theoretical studies and the lunar experience of moon robots and astronauts also confirms this property. The question arises: Is this property preserved if the pendulum is “very, very long”? It turns out that the answer is negative; namely, if the pendulum length significantly exceeds the Moon radius, then the radial equilibria at which the pendulum is located along the straight line connecting the Earth and Moon centers are Lyapunov stable and the pendulum does not fall in any direction at all. Moreover, if the pendulum goes beyond the collinear libration points, then it can be extended and manufactured from cables. This property was noted by F. A. Tsander and underlies the so-called lunar space elevator (e.g., see [1]). In the plane of the Earth and Moon orbits, there are some other equilibria which turn out to be unstable. The question is, Are there equilibria at which the pendulum is located outside the orbital plane? In this paper, we show that the answer is positive, but such equilibria are unstable in the secular sense.We also study necessary conditions for the stability of lunar pendulum oscillations in the plane of the lunar orbit. It was numerically discovered that stable and unstable equilibria alternate depending on the oscillation amplitude and the angular velocity of rotation.The study of the lunar elevator dynamics originates in [2]. The concept of lunar elevator was developed in detail in [3, 4]. Several classes of equilibria with the finiteness of the Moon size taken into account were studied in [5]. The possibility of location of an orbital station fixed to the Moon surface by a pair of tethers was investigated in [6]. The problem of orientation of the terminal station of the lunar space elevator was studied in [7]. The influence of the tether length variations on the motion of the lunar tether system was considered in [8].The alternation of stable and unstable flat oscillations is well known in the problem of satellite oscillations in a circular orbit [9, 10].

On Plane Oscillations of a Pendulum with Variable Length Suspended on the Surface of a Planet's Satellite

The problem of planar oscillations of a pendulum with variable length suspended on the Moon’s surface is considered. It is assumed that the Earth and Moon (or, in the general case, a planet and its satellite, or an asteroid and a spacecraft) revolve around the common center of mass in unperturbed elliptical Keplerian orbits. We discuss how the change in length of a pendulum can be used to compensate its oscillations. We wrote equations of motion, indicated a rule for the change in length of a pendulum, at which it has equilibrium positions relative to the coordinate system rotating together with the Moon and Earth. We study the necessary conditions for the stability of these motions. Chaotic dynamics of the pendulum is studied numerically and analytically.

The existence and stability of “orbitally uniform” rotations of a vibrating dumbbell on an elliptic orbit

The problem of planar motions of a variable-length dumbbell-shaped body in the central field of the Newton attraction is considered. The rules of varying the dumbbell length, at which the dumbbell with respect to the true anomaly can rotate uniformly around the center of mass, are indicated for the equation of motion of the dumbbell written in a satellite approximation [1–8]. When fulfilling these rules, the necessary stability conditions of mentioned motions are investigated.

Stability and bifurcations of relative equilibria of a pendulum suspended on the equator

The problem of equilibria of a pendulum suspended at an equatorial point relative to the rotating Earth is considered. An altitude is determined at which the degree of instability of the inverted pendulum changes from two to unity. Relative equilibria are investigated that bifurcate from the radial one when its degree of instability changes. Their stability properties are studied.

Application of the theory of the Leray-Schauder degree for the approximation of oscillations of a satellite on an elliptic orbit

Here, G is the gravitational constant; M is the mass of the attracting center; a known time function R(t) is the Kepler radius of the satellite orbit; A, B, and C are the principal central moments of inertia of the satellite; θ is the rotation angle of the satellite with respect to an inertial reference frame (it is measured from the direction to the orbit periapsis); a known time function ν(t) is the true anomaly of the Kepler motion; c is the constant representing the reflecting properties of the satellite surface; and φ is the azimuth of the light-source position as measured from the direction to the periapsis.

Regularization of the Limit Problem of Satellite Librations in a Keplerian Orbit Taking Light Pressure into Account

The planar librations of a satellite whose center of mass moves along an elliptic orbit are considered. It is assumed that not only the gravitational moment but also the forces of light pressure act upon the satellite. Account is taken of the fact that the right-hand sides of the differential equations are nonanalytic functions of the phase variables. When e → 1, e being the orbits eccentricity, the deformations of solutions are considered for the case of a satellite moving along a highly elongated orbit. Such transformation of the initial system of differential equations is carried out so that the new system becomes regular up to the value e = 1. A limit problem corresponding to the case e = 1 is considered. When the azimuth angle of the light source coincides with the direction to the pericenter, the dynamical system is reversible. In this case, the known families of the periodic solutions to the problem can be continued up to the limit case.

Relative equilibria of a massive point on a uniformly rotating asteroid

The motion of a massive point (a bead) over the surface of a uniformly rotating asteroid is considered. It is assumed that the force of dry friction acts between the point and the asteroid surface. The sets of nonisolated positions of relative equilibrium of the bead on the asteroid are described, and their dependence on the parameters of the problem is investigated. The results are presented as bifurcation diagrams.