Uncontrolled Attitude Motion of the Orbital Station MIR in the Last Months of Its Flight

Abstract

The results of determination of the uncontrolled attitude motion of the orbital station MIR on four prolonged segments of its unmanned flight in 2000 and 2001 are presented. The determination was carried out on the basis of the data of onboard measurements of the Earth's magnetic field. The data obtained on a time interval of several hours were processed jointly by the least squares method by integration of the equations of motion of the station with respect to its center of mass. The processing resulted in the estimation of the initial conditions of the motion and of the parameters of the mathematical model used. Several types of regular motion were observed on sufficiently prolonged time intervals on the studied segments. Some of these motions were planned; others were established spontaneously.