Development of a Small-spin-axis Controller and Its Application to a Solar Sail Subpayload Satellite

Abstract

The instruments and actuators in the attitude control system of small spacecraft are restricted in weight and space, and need to be reduced in weight and size. The rhumb line control strategy is one of the most popular schemes in reorientation of spin-stabilized spacecraft, since it requires only a spin sun sensor and a single axis reaction control system. By being combined with active nutation control, rhumb line control can reorient the spin axis of the spacecraft to any direction. To verify the control strategy, we manufactured an attitude controller and demonstration experiments were conducted using a motion table at ISAS/JAXA. This paper reviews the configuration of the controller and the outlines of the experiments, and evaluates the control performance. The same type of controller was installed in the Solar Sail Subpayload Satellite (SSSAT) launched in September 2006. An attitude control experiment in orbit was not conducted because of trouble with the satellite, but new control logic for the SSSAT was implemented for the attitude controller. This paper also reviews the control logic of the SSSAT.