Stability and Control of Spinning Electric Solar Wind Sail in Heliostationary Orbit

The aim of this paper is to study a feedback control system that is able to stabilize the dynamics of a spinning E-sail-based spacecraft around a heliostationary position at a distance of about one astronomical unit from the sun. The analysis is made with a recent mathematical model, which allows the actual tether shape to be accurately described and the thrust and torque vectors to be written in a compact, analytical, form. In this context, the spacecraft attitude motion is investigated, and the effects of a propulsive torque on the rotational stability are discussed with the aid of a linearized approach.