In this paper an observer-controller structure for attitude synchronization of a satellite formation is presented. The design applies methods from mechanical synchronization to design a nonlinear observer and controller for satellites actuated by means of reaction wheels and magnetic torquers. In this approach one satellite is defined as the leader of the formation, while the rest are defined a...

This paper describes the development of an Extended Kalman Filter attitude estimator and its implementation in a small satellite control loop. Sensor models have first been added to an existing satellite simulation. The attitude and angular velocities are estimated from the available sensors and methods of tuning the filter based on Genetic Algorithms are discussed. Simulation results are prese...

A quaternion-based attitude synchronization tracking problem is treated for satellite formation flying without using absolute and relative angular velocity measurements. More specifically, an adaptive control based output feedback attitude synchronization tracking control law is first developed under the requirement of communication links between each satellite in formation and the desired traj...

In this study Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) in the attitude determination and control system of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite is investigated. Attitude determination system uses algebraic method. This method is based on computing any two analytical vectors in the reference frame and measuring these vectors in the body coordinate system (Barishev & Krilov, 1968; Wertz, 1988). As measurin...

Some interesting aspects of motion and control such as those found in biological and robotic locomotion, and attitude control of spacecraft, involve geometric concepts. When an animal or a robot moves its joints in a periodic fashion, it can rotate or move forward. This observation leads to the general idea that when one variable in a system moves in a periodic fashion, motion of the whole obje...

A control system is proposed for a low Earth orbit gravity gradient stabilised microsatellite using Z wheel. The microsatellite is 3-axis stabilized using a yaw reaction wheel, with dual redundant 3-axis magnetorquers. Two vector magnetometers and four dual sun sensors are carried in order to determine the full attitude. The attitude was estimated using an Euler angles (small libration version)...

This paper discusses the use of symbolic model checking technology to verify the design of an embedded satellite software control system called attitude and orbit control system (AOCS). This system is mission-critical because it is responsible for maintaining the attitude of the satellite and for performing fault detection, isolation, and recovery decisions of the satellite. An executable AOCS ...

A control system is proposed for a low Earth orbit gravity gradient stabilised microsatellite using Z wheel. The microsatellite is 3-axis stabilized using a yaw reaction wheel, with dual redundant 3-axis magnetorquers. Two vector magnetometers and four dual sun sensors are carried in order to determine the full attitude. The attitude was estimated using an Euler angles (small libration version)...