Attitude Control of a Nanosatellite Using Only Magnetic Torquers

抄録

In this study, an attitude control method of spacecraft using only magnetic torquers is proposed. A magnetic torquer can generate torque only in directions perpendicular to the magnetic field of the Earth. Conventionally, a PD feedback control method with a cross product law is used. However, the cross product law has a constraint on the torque output direction, and this constraint restricts the stable region of the attitude control. In order to expand the stable region of the attitude control with magnetic torquers, we propose the control law with the compensation which generates the desired attitude control torque in average through one orbital period. The conventional and proposed control laws for an Earth-oriented spacecraft with magnetic torquers are introduced and their stable regions are analyzed and compared. These control methods are evaluated by numerical simulations for spacecraft attitude motion. The analysis of the stable regions of the conventional and proposed methods is also examined with the numerical simulation results. The results show that the proposed control method with magnetic torquers is effective for the spacecraft attitude control.