Spacecraft Attitude Control System Simulator

Abstract

Spacecraft attitude control system simulator helps to create an environment utilized for simulating attitude control system of satellites. A set of three inertial wheels is used as primary actuators for the attitude control. A flywheel is a disk with significant moment of inertia which is used as a storage device for rotational energy, i.e. momentum can be imparted on it or taken away from it. The hardware simulator provides a real-time freedom of motion in the axis of rotation. The spacecraft simulators are widely used to develop and verify spacecraft control techniques required by modern spacecraft applications. The simulator find many applications in various ongoing research flywheel energy management, non linear compensation of an under actuated system, the problems of attitude and orbit control and development of inertial wheels. The simulator provides the flexibility to experimentally implement many types of control techniques. The simulator is employed to develop, improve and carry out the objective tests of the actuators and the algorithms developed for the attitude control of the spacecraft.