Control of coupled spatial two-body systems with nonholonomic constraints

Modeling, controllability and control synthesis of two coupled rigid body system with motions in three dimensional space is considered. The angular momentum preserving reorientation problem of interest here has applications, in multibody satellites and space robotics, and, in the understanding of the classical falling cat problem. A coordinate free representation of the system dynamics is derived. Assuming a zero angular momentum condition results in a nonholonomic constraint, controllability and synthesis issues are studied