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Minimum horizontal rotations
Author(s) -
Marchal C.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
optimal control applications and methods
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.458
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-1514
pISSN - 0143-2087
DOI - 10.1002/oca.4660040408
Subject(s) - rotation (mathematics) , orientation (vector space) , simple (philosophy) , mathematics , rigid body , angular velocity , geometry , horizontal and vertical , geodesy , mathematical analysis , computer science , physics , classical mechanics , geology , philosophy , epistemology
The problem treated here is to rotate a rigid body from one arbitrary angular orientation to another using only rotations about horizontal axes. The total rotation angle is to be minimized. This problem is formulated and solved as an optimal control problem. The solution is both simple and elegant. Examples are provided to illustrate the results. The problem is motivated by the desire to use the Earth's magnetic field for satellite attitude control.