Dynamic modelling and symplectic solution of coupled orbit & attitude for solar sail towers

A simplified model for solar sail towers was established. Firstly, the dynamic equations for the system were transformed from the Lagrangian system into the Hamiltonian system, and the canonical constrained Hamiltonian equations were obtained. Then the dynamic characteristics of the coupled orbit-attitude system of the solar sail tower were analyzed with the symplectic Runge-Kutta method and the Zu-class method. Energy and constraint conservation problems of the schemes were also investigated. Finally, the dynamic characteristics of the system were numerically simulated. The results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.