Angle maneuvers of underactuated spacecraft with single gimbal control momentum gyros

Attitude control is investigated for an underactuated rigid spacecraft using arbitrary configuration of the single gimbal control moment gyros (SGCMGs) as actuators. The spacecraft and SGCMGs being taken as an integrated system, dynamics and kinematics are described on the angular momentum level sets. The controllability of the system is analyzed and the advantages of the description of the system on the momentum level sets are pointed out. To ensure good control performance and accurate description of the system, the integrated system is described as a singular system. Feedback control is realized by using the nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC). Finally, simulation is conducted. Simulation results show high precision control of the spacecraft by using NMPC. The modeling method and the control method given in the paper extend the application of the SGCMGs to underactuated spacecraft attitude control systems.