Design of a Control Moment Gyroscope Attitude Actuation System for the Attitude Control Subsystem Proving Ground

Abstract

All spacecraft represent a considerable investment of both time and money. To ensure mission success, testing and validation of all vital systems is crucial to the design process. The attitude control subsystem (ACS) is typically tested thoroughly, to include both hardware and control algorithms. Computer simulations offer a simple and relatively cheap method of predicting the performance of the ACS; however, computer simulations cannot provide the assurances necessary to qualify an ACS hardware configuration or control algorithm spaceworthy. For this reason, physical spacecraft simulators must be used to validate ACS dynamics. Previous research showed there is room for significant improvement to the design methodology of lab-rated control moment gyroscopes (CMGs), which can be used as attitude control devices. An improved design methodology was created to streamline the design process and develop best practices. To evaluate the design methodology, a CMG ACS was designed for the Attitude Control Subsystem Proving Ground (ACSPG), and a prototype was tested.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA582409

Entities

People

  • Samuel C. Johnson

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Angular Acceleration
  • Angular Momentum
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Brushless Dc Motors
  • Computer Simulations
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Control Systems
  • Dc Motors
  • Electric Motors
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Payload
  • Simulations
  • Spacecraft

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Robotics and Automation.
  • Software Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers