Satellite vibration-rotation motions studied via canonical transformations

Coupled vibration-rotation motion of a satellite is considered using a perturbation theory based on the Lie transformation method. Short-period oscillating terms are removed from the Hamiltonian function. The transformed damping forces directly affect rotational variables which were not directly influenced in the original variables. Motions and stability are more easily studied in the new variables. A dual-spin spacecraft model is used as an example; results for the usual nonresonant case are identical with the energy-sink method. Resonance cases produce a wealth of new dynamical phenomena. This canonical method extends and unifies various approximation methods in attitude dynamics.