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Todosiev, E. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Todosiev, E. P..

Periodic attitude control of a slowly spinning spacecraft.

A periodic attitude control system is presented which permits control of secular errors of a slowly spinning spacecraft operating in a high disturbance environment. Attitude errors of the spin-axis are detected by sun sensors (or rate gyros) and are controlled by a periodic control law which modulates external control torques generated by mass expulsion torquers. Attitude stability during the uncontrolled periods is obtained passively via the vehicle spin momentum. Equations of motion, a system block diagram, and design parameters are presented for a typical spacecraft application. Simulation results are included which demonstrate the feasibility of the novel control concept. Salient features of the periodic control approach are implementation simplicity, excellent response, and a propellant utilization efficiency greater than 75 percent.

Todosiev, E. P.

Human Tracking Performance in Uncoupled and Coupled Two-Axis Systems

This report presents tile results of an experimental and analytical study of human performance in uncoupled and coupled control systems. Human pilot performance in single and two-axis systems was mathematically modeled by linear second-order describing functions. Model parameters were determined using model matching techniques. Analysis of the models showed that the amplitude ratio and phase lead of the describing function increased with training indicating an increase in open loop bandwidth. The phase margin also decreased with training. Increasing the plant lag time constant resulted in an increase in the model lead time constant and a decrease in the zero frequency gain. No significant difference was found to exist in the normalized tracking error per axis between the two-axis tasks and the single-axis tasks. However tile model lead time constant was significantly greater in two-axis tracking. Manual tracking of two-axis systems with cross-coupling was studied experimentally and analytically. Approximate methods for modeling two-axis performance were developed and checked using a precise spectral analysis approach. Coupled and uncoupled, symmetrical and asymmetrical two-axis performance was compared. The results show that modeling of cross-coupled systems is feasible and that trained subjects are capable of decoupling the axes of some systems. A methodology study compared the identification performance of continuous, iterative, and extrapolation model matching techniques. An iterative technique employing sensitivity equations for the generation of influence coefficients was found to be the best technique due to its excellent identification accuracy and ease of implementation. Convergence in iterative techniques can be improved substantially by equalizing the parameter adjustment rates and limiting the maximum correction per iteration.

Todosiev, E. P.