Investigation of Steady-State Motion of an Artificial Earth Satellite in the Uniaxial Magnetic Orientation Mode

The rotational motion of an axisymmetric artificial satellite with a constant magnet under an effect of a torque produced by the Earth’s magnetic field (EMF) influence on the magnet is studied. The orbital motion of a satellite is calculated taking into account the noncentral nature of the Earth’s gravitational field and the atmospheric drag; the proper magnetic moment of a satellite is parallel to the axis of symmetry. The steady-state motions of a satellite are constructed, in which the axis of symmetry makes a small angle with the EMF intensity vector. The IGRF model is used as the EMF model. It is shown that such motions can be approximated by a sequence of periodic solutions of modified equations of motion. Steady-state motions contain two basis frequencies—the orbital and angular velocity of the Earth’s rotation. Periodic solutions have an orbital period, but the spectrum of the approximating sequence composed of them virtually coincides with the spectrum of the original steady-state mode.