1.

Pendulum suspended from the International Space

Station (10 points)

In this problem we are studying an unusual pendulum whose suspension point is fixed to the
International Space Station, which is orbiting the Earth in a circular orbit of radius R. The pendulum
consists of a bar of negligible mass, ℓ in length, and a point weight of mass m, which is much smaller
than the mass of the space station. Let the mass of the Earth be M.

1.1. Express the orbital velocity Ω of the International Space Station in terms of M, R and the
gravitational constant γ.

Astronauts traveling on a space station can fix the rod of length ℓ ≪ R to any point on the station
shell. Suppose that the space station is very small compared to the pendulum, so treat it as a point!
Fix the center of the coordinate system to the pendulum's pivot point with the space station. The x-
axis should point in the direction of the instantaneous velocity of the space station, and the z-axis
should be radially outward in the orbital plane (see figure).

Astronauts investigate periods of small oscillations around the pendulum's various equilibrium
positions. The inertial forces (centrifugal force and Coriolis force) must be applied to describe the
pendulum motion in the accelerated coordinate system specified above. It can be shown that the
role of the Coriolis force is negligible in the examination of small oscillations, so this is neglected in
the following!

1.2. Find the x, y, and z components of the gravitational force acting on the pendulum up to first
order in terms of the coordinates m, Ω, R and the x, y, z coordinates of the pendulum.

1.3. Give the x, y, and z components of the centrifugal force acting on the pendulum up to first order
in terms of m, Ω, R and the x, y, z coordinates of the pendulum.

1.4. Write down the system of equations of motion of the pendulum (ie differential equations for the
time dependence of the coordinates) Ω, and the coordinates and their derivatives.

The general solution of the resulting equations of motion is very complicated. Finding equilibrium
situations is an easier task.

1.5. Give the x, y and z coordinates of the possible equilibrium positions of the pendulum. Write the
results in the appropriate columns of the table on the answer sheet.

Astronauts also study the pendulum's small oscillations around every equilibrium position, in every
possible direction1.

1Forward directions are those directions in which the small-displacement movement of the body is
primarily one-dimensional.

1.6. Which equilibrium positions are stable and which are unstable? For each stable principal
direction, find the angular frequency of the small oscillations of the pendulum. Write the results in
the appropriate columns of the table on the answer sheet!