Geometric stiffness characteristics of a rotating elastic appendage
Previous work by Likins (1972 and 1973) on finite element appendage equations for hybrid coordinate dynamic analysis and on the dynamic analysis of a system of hinge-connected rigid bodies with nonrigid appendages is extended to the establishment of a basis for a generic digital computer program to be developed for the simulation of nonrigid spacecraft. A subtle but significant generalization of that previous work as well as a correction and elaboration accomplish this purpose.