A Three Degrees of Freedom Test-Bed for Nanosatellite and CubeSat Attitude Dynamics, Determination, and Control

Abstract

This thesis presents the design and construction of a test-bed suitable for test and evaluation (T&E) of the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) for a nanosatellite. This work briefly reviews the Navy's use of satellites and considers the role of nanosatellites within that context. A survey of threeaxis simulators precedes the development of an adaptive mass-balancing algorithm capable of effectively eliminating gravitational torques on a three-axis simulator without momentum exchange devices. This is followed by the design and construction of a test-bed for validation of the mass-balancing algorithm. Although primarily designed for integration within the NPS TINYSCOPE project, this test-bed's application reaches beyond TINYSCOPE to any payload onboard a nanosat requiring attitude control. The test-bed, based on the Cubesat standard, is modular and allows any ADCS, containable within a 1U (10 cm cube) space, to go through T&E prior to launch including, but not limited to, stability, pointing accuracy, and nadir tracking.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA514295

Entities

People

  • David M. Meissner

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Astronautics
  • Construction
  • Control Systems
  • Geography
  • Kalman Filters
  • Nanosatellites
  • Payload
  • Picosatellites
  • Satellite Attitude Control
  • Satellite Buses
  • Small Satellites
  • Space Objects
  • Space Systems
  • Space Transportation
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Orbits

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers