Attitude Stabilization for CubeSat

Book excerpt: This book explores CubeSat technology, and develops a nonlinear mathematical model of a spacecraft with the assumption that the satellite is a rigid body. It places emphasis on the CubeSat subsystem, orbit dynamics and perturbations, the satellite attitude dynamic and modeling, and components of attitude determination and the control subsystem. The book focuses on the attitude stabilization methods of spacecraft, and presents gravity gradient stabilization, aerodynamic stabilization, and permanent magnets stabilization as passive stabilization methods, and spin stabilization and three axis stabilization as active stabilization methods. It also discusses the need to develop a control system design, and describes the design of three controller configurations, namely the Proportional–Integral–Derivative Controller (PID), the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), and the Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) and how they can be used to design the attitude control of CubeSat three-axis stabilization. Furthermore, it presents the design of a suitable attitude stabilization system by combining gravity gradient stabilization with magnetic torquing, and the design of magnetic coils which can be added in order to improve the accuracy of attitude stabilization. The book then investigates, simulates, and compares possible controller configurations that can be used to control the currents of magnetic coils when magnetic coils behave as the actuator of the system.