Evolution of the Satellite Rapid Attitude Motion under action of the Aerodynamic and Gravitational Torques

Euler-Poinsot motion evolution is considered for the ellipsoidal satellite with the almost equal semiaxes under the action of the aerodynamic and gravitational torques. Averaging of the torques on the Euler-Poinsot motion and Keplerian motion is performed analytically. By this technique the system of ODE of the 4-rd order is prodused. By means of some transformations this system is reduced to the system of the 2-nd order. The phase portraits are constructed for various sets of system parameters. This results are compared with the results of numerical investigation of the evolution of the satellite attitude motion.