About one Mode of Satellite Uncontrolled Attitude Motion

Mode of a motion of the satellite about its centre of mass, named Two-Axis Rotation in a plane of an orbit is considered. In this mode the satellite, close to dynamically symmetric, rotates around a longitudinal axis, which in turn rotates around normal to the plane of the orbit; the angular speed of rotation of the longitudinal axis of the satellite in some times exceeds its orbital angular speed, the deviations of the longitudinal axis from the plane of the orbit are small. Two-Axis Rotations are applied, for example, when it is required to ensure rather uniform illumination of a surface of a satellite by the Sun. The analysis of Two-Axis Rotations is carried out with the assumption that the satellite represents a solid, centre of mass of which moves in a constant circular orbit and on which gravitational moment affect.