The control of the motion through an ideal fluid of a rigid body by means of two moving masses

In this paper we consider the problem of motion of a rigid body in an ideal fluid with two material points moving along circular trajectories. The controllability of this system on the zero level set of first integrals is shown. Elementary “gaits” are presented which allow the realization of the body’s motion from one point to another. The existence of obstacles to a controlled motion of the body along an arbitrary trajectory is pointed out.