SPIN STABILIZATION OF A SPACECRAFT FOR AN ORBIT MANEUVER

Apparatus and methods for controlling a spacecraft (100) for a transfer orbit (214). The spacecraft (100) includes a momentum subsystem (502) that stores angular momentum relative to a center of mass (440) of the spacecraft (100), and a propulsion subsystem (310) that includes electric thrusters (314-317). A controller (522) identifies a target spin axis (720) for the spacecraft (100), determines gimbal angles for electric thruster(s) (314-317) that so that thrust forces from the electric thrusters (314-317) are parallel to the target spin axis (720), and initiates a burn of the electric thruster(s) at the gimbal angles. The controller (522) controls the momentum subsystem (502) to compensate for a thruster torque (950) produced by the burn of the electric thrusters (314-317). The momentum subsystem (502) is able to produce a target angular momentum about the center of mass (440), where a coupling between the target angular momentum and an angular velocity of the spacecraft (100) creates an offset torque to counteract the thruster torque (950).