Talk:Three-axis stabilisation

Three gyroscopes?!

If I remember correctly, a gyroscope stabilises around one axis, that means that the object (with only one gyroscope) can only move around one axis, stabilising two axis simultaneously... therefore, two gyroscopes seem enough... (and not three... (?) --fr:Moala as 130.83.244.129 13:19, 31 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

This whole article is worse than useless and I nominate it to be deleted:

"Three-axis stabilisation involves the use of three gyroscopes — one for each axis (x,y,z) — to keep satellites correctly oriented in space. The same technology is used to "steer" guided missiles, but it involves only two gyroscopes."

There are multiple technical errors in the above, including the kind of thinking that confused the respondants above: somehow splitting hairs about counting gyroscopes. All practical three-axis stabilization systems are built with four or more gyroscopes - for reasons that should become apparent: redundancy is a necessity.

Also, the idea that the gyroscopes somehow "stabilize" a spacecraft of other device is quite a fallacy. The gyroscopes are merely sensors in an elaborate three-axis control system. That system includes another set of sensors called accelerometers, plus some form of a digital or analog computer, plus some sort of system of actuators (rocket motors, etc.) that can provide the torques that the control system needs to do what it is designed to do.

The bottom line is that this is a far, far more technical and complicated of a subject than is presented - hence this article is useless to the point of being deceptive.98.67.97.35 (talk) 01:42, 30 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]