Time Optimal Attitude Maneuver of Three-Axis Spacecraft with only Magnetic Toquer

This paper presents the time optimal reorientation solution of three-axis spacecraft which has only three magnetic torquers. It has been very difficult problem because the magnetic torquer generates only perpendicular to Earth magnetic field vector. In this paper, minimum-time solution using only magnetic torquer is solved using collocation method and nonlinear programming solver NPSOL. IGRF Earth magnetic field model used to simulate magnetic field. The result is verified by comparing to the result of numerical integration. The solution is obtained for the various reorientation maneuver of three axes rigid spacecraft. And the results show that all three axes of rigid spacecraft are controlled effectively only by magnetic torqure.