ИСТИНА

Dynamics of a spacecraft with a variable mass distribution in a central field of Newtonian attraction is considered. Using another viewpoint one can regard sufficiently compact formation instead of a spacecraft. This formation can vary distances between its particular spacecrafts thus implementing pulsing motions of the system as a whole. Within the so-called “satellite approximation” equations of spatial attitude motion are obtained. Special but anyway sufficiently general rules of the mass redistribution providing prescribed in advance attitude motions are indicated. For classes of relative equilibria previously found and existing under appropriate rules of the mass redistribution, conditions of stability are investigated.