An innovative test bed for verification of attitude control system

Experimental validation of the attitude determination and control subsystem performance is an essential requirement for new satellites. It can provide a very low cost and low risk environment for evaluating the proposed design before launch. One of the greatest difficulties in developing an Attitude...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE aerospace and electronic systems magazine Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 16 - 22
Main Authors: Tavakoli, A., Faghihinia, A., Kalhor, A.
Format: Magazine Article
Language:English
Published: New York IEEE 01.06.2017
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subjects:
Actuators
Aerospace electronics
Aerospace environments
Attitude control
Bearings
Computer simulation
Degrees of freedom
Flight simulators
Low cost
Microgravity
Position measurement
Relay
Satellite attitude control
Satellite communication
Satellite tracking
Sensors
Simulation
Space vehicles
ISSN:0885-8985, 1557-959X
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Experimental validation of the attitude determination and control subsystem performance is an essential requirement for new satellites. It can provide a very low cost and low risk environment for evaluating the proposed design before launch. One of the greatest difficulties in developing an Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS) test bed is to perform the ground-based experiments in different environments to provide the orbital conditions experienced by a real spacecraft. Simulating the space environment is not an easy task and also testing of the attitude determination and control is very complicated. The essential requirements of functional tests in ADCS hardware are 1) rotational frictionless free motions, 2) simulating orbital environment for sensors and actuators, 3) software implementation of algorithms, and 4) finally integrating of these parts. Three degree of freedom (DOF) air bearing based simulators are the most common method for simulation of a frictionless media. Air bearing offers a nearly torque-free condition, perhaps as close as possible to that of space and hence it is a preferred technology for ground-based research in space attitude dynamics and control, although it certainly cannot provide the full experience of microgravity. There are several simulators around the world that are developed for many different education and research purposes. One of these simulators is developed for testing the bifocal relay mirror spacecraft system.
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ISSN:0885-8985
1557-959X
DOI:10.1109/MAES.2017.150198