Dynamics of rigid body attitude motion in orbit under the influence of an ion beam

The attitude motion of a rigid body during its contactless transportation by an ion beam is considered. A mathematical model describing the 3D motion of the body and the spacecraft that creates the ion beam is developed. For the case of small asymmetry, when the control system of the spacecraft maintains its constant position relative to the transported body, a simplified mathematical model of the attitude motion of the body is obtained. A generalized energy integral and stationary motions of the system are found for the case of a symmetric body in a circular orbit under the action of gravitational and ion beam torques.