Linear Systems – Homework 1

Deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2025, 23:59 (hand in in digital form on Brightspace)

Problem 1 (6 + 8 + 10 + 8 + 10 + 8 = 50 points)

r D−r

earth moon
m

Figure 1: A mass m between the earth and moon (on a line connecting the earth and moon).

Consider a spacecraft with mass m, positioned between earth and the moon as in Figure 1.
Denote by D the (constant) distance between the earth and moon and by r the distance between
earth and the spacecraft. We assume that 0 < r(t) < D for all time.
Recall from physics that the gravitational pull F between two masses m1 and m2 is given by
m1 m2
F =G , (1)
d2
with G > 0 the gravitational constant and d the distance between the two masses.

(a) Noting that the spacecraft is affected by the gravitational pull of both earth and the moon,
and using (1), show that the position r of the spacecraft satisfies the differential equation

GMe GMm
r̈(t) = − 2
+ , (2)
r(t) (D − r(t))2

where Me and Mm denote the mass of earth and the moon, respectively.
(b) We call r̄ ∈ R a neutral point if 0 < r̄ < D and r(t) = r̄ is a (constant) solution of (2). Show
that (2) has a unique neutral point and express it in terms of the parameters.

In the remainder of this problem, we will make use of the state-space form of (2) and consider the
initial value problem

ṙ(t) = v(t), r(0) = r0 ,

GMe GMm (3)
v̇(t) = − 2
+ , v(0) = v0 ,
r(t) (D − r(t))2

where v is the velocity of the spacecraft and (r0 , v0 ) with 0 < r0 < D the initial condition.
(c) Show that, for initial condition (r0 , v0 ) = (r0 , 0) with 0 < r0 < r̄ and r̄ the unique neutral
point from (b), the following hold for the solution (r(t), v(t)) to (3):
– there exists te > 0 such that r(te ) = Re and v(te ) < 0, with Re satisfying 0 < Re < r̄
the radius of earth. In other words, the spacecraft crashes on earth;
– r(t) < r̄ for all t satisfying 0 ≤ t ≤ te .
Hint. Do not explicitly compute the solution.

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(d) To characterize solutions to (3), we will express the velocity v as a function of r. In other
words, we are looking for a function V : (0, D) → R such that


v(t) = V r(t)

for all t ≥ 0. Show that V , when regarded as a function of r, satisfies the differential equation
dV GMe GMm
V =− 2 + . (4)
dr r (D − r)2

Moreover, give the initial condition that accompanies (4).

(e) Use separation of variables to solve the initial value problem given by (4) and its initial
condition obtained in (d).
Hint. If you did not obtain the initial condition in (d), simply use V (r0 ) = V0 .
(f) We consider the case when the spacecraft is launched from the surface of the earth, i.e., we
consider the initial condition V (Re ) = V0 for some V0 > 0. Determine the minimum value
of V0 for which the spacecraft passes the neutral point (i.e., does not fall back to earth).

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Problem 2 (8 + 6 + 6 + 12 + 8 = 40 points)

q p m

Figure 2: A pneumatic motor, comprising a piston in a cylinder.

Consider the pneumatic motor of Figure 2, comprising a piston with mass m > 0 and position s
contained in a cylinder. The pressure in the cylinder is denoted by p and air is blown into the
cylinder with a volumetric flow rate q. The piston is connected to the cylinder through a spring
with stiffness k > 0, leading to the dynamics

ms̈(t) = p(t)A − ks(t), (5)

with A > 0 the surface area of the piston. We assume that s(t) > 0 for all t. The pressure satisfies
 
p(t) q(t)
ṗ(t) = − ṡ(t) . (6)
s(t) A

(a) After introducing the state x and input u as

   
x1 s
x = x2  = ṡ , u = q,
x3 p

write the dynamics (5)–(6) in the state-space form ẋ(t) = f (x(t), u(t)).
(b) Using the state-space form from (a), characterize all equilibrium points of (5)–(6) for ū = 0.
In the remainder of this problem, we consider an equilibrium point
  
s̄
(x̄, ū) = 0 , 0 , with s̄ > 0 and p̄ > 0. (7)
p̄

An equilibrium point is called attractive if there exists ε > 0 such that, for all x0 such that
|x0 − x̄| < ε, solutions to the initial value problem


ẋ(t) = f x(t), 0 , x(0) = x0

satisfy limt→∞ x(t; 0, x0 ) = x̄.

(c) Use the result from (b) to explain that the equilibrium point (7) is not attractive.
(d) Linearize the state-space system obtained in (a) around the equilibrium (7). Make sure to
define x̃ and ũ.
(e) Show that the linear system obtained in (d), for ũ = 0, is not asymptotically stable.
Note. This is in line with the conclusion we obtained in (c).