Uncontrolled motion of the Foton M-2 satellite and quasistatic microaccelerations on its board

Abstract

The results of determining the uncontrolled rotational motion of the Foton M-2 satellite (in orbit from May 31 to June 16, 2005) are presented. The determination was made using the data of onboard measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field strength. Segments 270 min long (three orbits) were selected from these data covering the first two thirds of the flight. On each such segment the data were processed jointly by the least squares method using integration of the equations of attitude motion of the satellite. In processing, the initial conditions of motion and parameters of the used mathematical model were estimated. The thus obtained results gave a complete overview of the satellite motion. This motion, having started with a small angular velocity, gradually accelerated, and in two days became close to the regular Euler precession of an axisymmetric solid body. On June 09, 2005 (the last day of measurements) the angular velocity of the satellite relative to its lengthwise axis was about 1.1 deg/s, while the projection of the angular velocity onto a plane perpendicular to this axis had an absolute value of about 0.11 deg/s. Deviations of the lengthwise axis from a normal to the orbit plane did not exceed 60°. Based on the results of determination of the rotational motion of the satellite, calculations of quasi-static microaccelerations on its board are performed.