angular momentum & axis alignment

Hi everyone

I might be mistaken but i think NASA did an experiment maybe a few years ago to try to control a satellite ( attitude,axis,etc....) by using Gyroscopes instead of thrusters. I don't know how the experiment went but i think that gyroscope could be useful to maintain a fixed position . Then again i might be completely wrong there ..... lol.

Just my two cents.

Jack.

From: joe@...
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 08:55:48 -0600
Subject: [spacesettlers] angular momentum & axis alignment

Can anyone help me understand what the constraints are on pointing the axis of a structure with a lot of angular momentum -- like a rotating space habitat with no counter-rotating mass?

I know that you can't easily change the axis of such a system, but is it feasible to keep it pointed at the Sun throughout its orbit? I believe some of the early designs assumed exactly this arrangement, but I'd still like to make sure this isn't a problem.

Thanks,
- Joe

Joe Strout -- joe@...