L<sub>1</sub> adaptive attitude control for a picoscale satellite test bed

Abstract

Smaller and more agile space assets, such as picoscale satellites, have become one of the promising focuses for space missions because of the benefits in cost reduction, enhanced flexibility, survivability, and reliability. A simple magnetic torque coil-based attitude control system is proposed here for a one unit picoscale satellite test bed using an L1 adaptive controller. A pointing accuracy of 2 deg is achieved in both a one-axis ground test bed and three-axis control simulation.