An innovative test bed for verification of attitude control system

Abstract

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.