The following slides are from PHE 354 Space Systems

offered by the Royal Military College of Canada

The content of this

Attitude Control presentation is for
educational use only
Part 1:
Royal Military College
Attitude Dynamics of Canada

Part 2:
Sensors and Actuators
R.F. Vincent
 Part 1
Attitude Dynamics
Attitude Control
 Attitude Control Design Objectives
• Stabilize the spacecraft against external torques
Small environmental effects that will cause the satellite to drift from its desired attitude
• Point housekeeping sensors in specific directions
Antennas for Telemetry, Tracking and Control (TT&C) need to point at the ground
station
• Point payload sensors in designated directions
e.g. Remote sensing payloads need to point at a specific point on the surface
Need to meet sensor pointing accuracy requirements
 Dependent on mission objectives
• Point spacecraft in the correct direction when applying thrust for orbital changes
Pointing Accuracy
 Typically, attitude control requirements are stated in terms of pointing accuracy,  , and
rate of attitude change
• Slew rate is the angular speed in rad/s that a spacecraft can change its attitude

Target distance (m)

h

Target diameter (m) D  h
Pointing accuracy (rads)
D
 The requirement for spacecraft pointing depends on the
subject and the sensor’s field-of-view

• At 500 km altitude, a spacecraft would need a pointing
accuracy of 0.115 to hit a 1 km target on Earth
Roll, Pitch, Yaw
 When describing the motion of an object we use a
coordinate system
 In the case of attitude control the motion is rotational
• Coordinates are determined in degrees or radians
 Space vehicle attitude is described in terms of roll, pitch
and yaw around the axes of the body frame
Roll, Pitch, Yaw
 For vehicles like the Space Shuttle, a right-
hand coordinate system is used:
• X-direction points out of the nose
• Y-direction points out of the left wing
• Z-direction completes the right-hand rule
 For spacecraft without a nose or wings,
designers pick convenient, preferred directions
through the center of mass to define the body
frame
Rotational Motion

 Since the motion is rotational for attitude control we need to know something
about the mechanics of a rotating object:
• Rotational Kinematics
• Moment of Inertia
• Center of Mass
• Angular Momentum z-axis
• Torque

v
R
Rotational Kinematics - Review
Every point on a rigid rotating object
has the same angular speed, , but not
the same tangential speed, v
d
 v  R
R
dt

Direction of 
is obtained
using the right
hand rule
Acceleration
Angular
Tangential Radial Total Linear
d

dt
at  R ar  R 2
a  a a 2
t
2
r
Rotational Kinematics - Review
Rotational Kinematic Equations:

1 2 2
 f    2 ( f   i )
2
 f   i   i t  t i
2
1
 f   i  t  f   i  ( f   i )t
2

Kinetic Energy of a Rotating Mass:

1 2
K R  I Moment of Inertia (see next slide)
2
Moment of Inertia
 Moment of Inertia is the tendency of a body to resist
angular acceleration
I   r dm 2

 Relatively easy to calculate for

a symmetric object provided
that the axis of rotation
coincides with the axis of
symmetry

 May be difficult to calculate if these conditions are not met

• Use the parallel-axis theorem if the axis of rotation does
not coincide with the axis of symmetry
See next slide
Parallel Axis Theorem
 A simple way of calculating I is the parallel-axis theorem

I  I CM  MD 2

• Where ICM is the moment of inertia through the center of

mass (CM) of the object, M is the mass of the object
and D is the distance for a parallel axis from ICM
See next slide for
center of mass
explanation
Center of Mass

 There is a special point in a system or object, called the center

of mass (CM), that moves as if all of the mass of the system is
concentrated at that point
 The center of mass is the point about which a solid will freely
rotate if it is not constrained
• The system will move as if an external force were applied to
a single particle of mass M located at the center of mass
M is the total mass of the system

1 1 1
xCM 
M  xdm yCM 
M  ydm zCM 
M  zdm
x,y,z coordinates of center of mass for a solid object
ICM for Various Objects
Momentum
 Linear momentum is the p mv Velocity
(m·s-1)
amount of resistance an object
in motion has to changes in
Linear momentum Mass (kg)
speed or direction
(kg·m·s )
-2

 Angular momentum is
the amount of resistance H  I
a spinning object has to Angular momentum
Angular Velocity
changes in spin rate or (kg·m2·s-2) (rad·s-1)
direction
Moment of Inertia
(kg·m2)

Angular momentum keeps a

spinning top upright
Angular Momentum
 We can also describe angular momentum in terms of a
cross-product
H  I  R  mv Position Vector
H
• H is perpendicular to both R and v
• Can find the direction of H by using
the right-hand rule R
Spin
v

 By imparting spin to a spacecraft we

can use angular momentum to help
maintain stability
• Higher angular momentum will have
greater resistance to external
torques
Conservation of Angular Momentum
 The angular momentum of an isolated system remains constant in both magnitude and direction
• Momentum is a vector quantity

H  IΩ
A man sits on a rotating stool holding out two dumbbells.
What happens if he brings the dumbbells towards his body?
H H

 Bringing in the dumbbells

will decrease the moment
of inertia
 In order for H to be
conserved, the angular
velocity must increase
Conservation of Angular Momentum
 The sum of the angular momenta of the parts of an isolated
system is constant
• If one part of the system is given an angular momentum
in a given direction, then some other part or parts of the
system must simultaneously be given exactly the same
angular momentum in the opposite direction
A man on a rotatable stool holds a spinning wheel
What happens if the wheel is turned over?
Hwheel
Hwheel  If the wheel is turned over,
its angular momentum is wheel Hperson
wheel Hperson wheel
wheel now downward
Hwheel
The man and the stool will Hwheel
person person
rotate with angular
momentum twice that of the
wheel
Torque
 When a force is applied to a rigid body it will rotate about
the origin.
 The tendency of this force to cause the object to rotate is
measured by torque or T
• Torque is a vector

 In this diagram the force is

acting at an angle 
• We define the magnitude
of the torque associated
with the force F as:

T  rF sin 
Torque

 The moment arm, d, is

the perpendicular
distance from the axis
of rotation to a line
drawn along the
direction of the force
• d = r sin Φ
moment arm

T  rF sin   Fd
Torque

 Torque facts
• Units are
Force  Length = N·m
• Torque is not a force
but a consequence of
force and the moment
arm
• The only component of F that causes rotation is
Fsin, which is perpendicular to the axis O
• The Fcos component is parallel to the horizontal
axis and has no tendency to produce a rotation
Torque
 Torque as a vector product:

Torque (N·m) T  RF Applied force (N)

Distance from the center of mass to where the force is applied (m)

 To find the direction of torque we use the right-hand rule

 According to this relationship, more torque can be
achieved with the same force by applying the force further
from the center of rotation
Torque
 Recall that force is the time rate of change of linear
momentum
dp 
F p
dt
 Similarly, torque is the time rate of change of angular
momentum
dH 
T H
dt
 When torque is zero, angular momentum is constant
 If a torque is applied to a free-floating object, it will
spin faster
• It will experience angular acceleration


T  H  Iα
Attitude Dynamics
 To determine a spacecraft attitude, described by an angle , we must look at how long it accelerates and
how long it moves at some angular velocity
• By adding torque to the spacecraft, we create angular acceleration which leads to a change in attitude

Angular Angular
Angular
Torque Spacecraft Acceleration Integrate Velocity Integrate
Position
T I  dt  dt


 An important result of the interaction between a spinning

object and applied torque is gyroscopic stiffness
• The faster an object spins, the more stable it becomes
e.g. Rifle bullets, spiral football pass, Earth
Attitude Dynamics
 When torque is applied to a non-spinning spacecraft the results are easily predicted
 If a spacecraft is spinning when we apply a torque, the dynamics become more
complicated

• If a torque is applied parallel

to the angular momentum
direction, it causes angular
acceleration
• If a torque is applied in a
direction other than parallel,
precession may occur
Rotation of the spacecraft
around a precession axis
Precession
Attitude Dynamics
 When torque is applied to the spinning disk shown below it
begins to precess by rotating around an axis perpendicular
from both the torque and angular momentum axes
• Precession vector 
 For a constant torque, the precession rate is constant
 Precession behaviour depends on the distribution of mass
(I) of the spinning object

 Knowing how a spacecraft

gains angular velocity and
precesses helps to determine H 
how to apply forces in order to
adjust its attitude


External Torque
Disturbance Torques
 Why can’t we put a satellite in space with the desired attitude and forget about it?
• Environmental effects called disturbance torques drive a spacecraft from its original attitude
Most of these torques are extremely small, but over time they can rotate even the largest spacecraft
 Four main sources of disturbance torques include:
• Gravity gradient
• Solar radiation pressure
• Earth’s magnetic field
• Atmospheric drag
Disturbance Torques Gravity Gradient Torque
 Gravity Gradient Torque
• Results from the difference in gravitational force exerted on different parts of a
spacecraft

• If you don’t want the spacecraft in the orientation

shown in the above example, then the attitude control
system must constantly counteract this torque
Disturbance Torques Solar Radiation Pressure
 Solar Radiation Pressure
• Light photons strike exposed surfaces and cause the spacecraft to rotate
Momentum transfer from the photons to the spacecraft
The force can be calculated as:

Solar constant (1358 W/m2 at the Earth’s orbit)

Fs
F  A s 1  r  cos I
Angle of incidence
Speed of light c to the Sun

Reflectance (1 for a perfect

Illuminate surface area
reflector, 0 for a perfect
absorber)
 A spacecraft with perfect reflectance and a surface area of
10 m2 would only experience about 9 10-5 N of force
• Can still cause problems for spacecraft with precise
pointing requirements
Disturbance Torques Magnetic Torque
 Magnetic Torque
• Because of the impact of charged particles in space, the surface of a spacecraft can develop a charge of
its own, giving it a distinct dipole
North and a south like a compass
• Just as a compass needle rotates to align with the Earth’s magnetic field, the dipole-charged spacecraft
will attempt to do the same when it passes through the magnetic field
Disturbance Torques Magnetic Torque
 Magnetic Torque (continued)
• The magnitude of the magnetic torque depends on the spacecraft’s effective magnetic
dipole and the local strength of the Earth’s magnetic field
• This is a significant concern for small satellites in low, polar orbits
• The effect far less noticeable for large satellites in geostationary orbit
Disturbance Torques Aerodynamic Drag
 Aerodynamic Drag
• In low Earth orbit, the atmosphere applies a drag force to the vehicle

• Since parts of a spacecraft may have different drag coefficients (e.g. large solar panels), drag forces on different parts of the spacecraft may also differ
This creates a drag torque
• Spacecraft designers can do little to prevent drag torque, so the attitude control system has to deal with it

Velocity
1
Drag force Fdrag  ρv 2 C D A Impacted area
2
Atmospheric density Coefficient of drag
Part 2
Sensors and Actuators
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Out of Window
 When pilots fly an aircraft the easiest way to determine altitude is to look out the window
• Ground is down, and the sky is up
• The same principle can be used for a spacecraft
 For a spacecraft there are three classes of out the window sensors
1. Earth Sensors
2. Sun Sensors
3. Star Sensors
 By themselves, these sensors can accurately measure attitude in only two dimensions
 Only two of pitch, roll and yaw
 Need to combine information from multiple sensors sensors to get all three dimensions
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Earth Sensors
 Earth Sensors
• In LEO the Earth fills a significant portion of the sky, so a sensor would have to focus on a small portion of the Earth for greater accuracy
• In GEO the angular radius of the Earth is 10, so a sensor that can locate the Earth is at least accurate to within that amount
• Sensors that scan for the Earth horizon can be as much more accurate
Detect EM radiation emitted by CO 2 to determine the horizon

Scanning Technique for

an Earth horizon sensor
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Star and Sun Sensors
 Sun Sensors
• Finds the Sun and determines its direction with respect to the spacecraft
• Most widely used spacecraft attitude sensor

 Star Sensors
• Compares the pattern of stars seen
by the sensor to a star catalog and
uses astrometry to determine where
the sensor is pointed
• More accurate than a Sun sensor
• By using two or more star sensors, attitude can be
determined in 3-dimensions
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors
 Star Sensor Example (Vectronic Aerospace)

Accuracy xy/z axis 18/122 arcseconds

Size (Length x Width x Height) 80 x 100 x 180 mm
Weight 1.1 kg
Power Supply Voltage Range 9 to 18 VDC
Power consumption 2.5 W

Company Description
With a focal length of 50 mm the sensor’s FOV is around 14°x14° which
guarantees at least 10 visible stars independent of the current attitude.
After the first acquisition, which takes not more than 900 ms, the sensor
operates with an adjustable update rate in the range from 4 Hz to 8 Hz.
The probability of attitude acquisition at spacecraft angular rates lower
than 0.6 deg/sec is better than 99.7% over the full sky.
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Internal
 Spacecraft attitude can also be determined by sensors that do not require visible references, including:
1. Gyroscopes
 Mechanical
 Ring Laser
 Fibre Optic

2. Magnetometers
3. Global Positioning System (GPS)
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Gyroscopes
 Mechanical Gyroscope
• The simplest type of gyroscope is a spinning mass
• With no torque applied it will always point in the same direction in inertial space
Higher moment of inertia (I) and higher angular velocity () will result in greater stability
 Higher angular momentum (H)

H  I

A gyroscope will point in a fixed direction in inertial space

 Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Gyroscopes
 Mechanical Gyroscope (continued)
• With torque applied, a mechanical gyroscopes will precess in a predictable direction with a predictable magnitude
• There are two methods to measure spacecraft rotation due to external torques using a mechanical gyroscope
1. Isolate the gyroscope from external torques by mounting it on a gimbal
 Measure spacecraft rotation with respect to the stationary gyroscope
2. Mount the gyroscope directly to the spacecraft frame
 When the spacecraft rotates the gyroscope will precess in a predictable fashion
 By measuring the precession angle and rate, the system can compute the amount and direction of the spacecraft’s rotation
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Gyroscopes
 Ring Laser Gyroscope
• Consists of a circular cavity containing a closed path, through which two laser beams
shine in opposite directions
• As the spacecraft rotates the path lengths traveled by the beams change, causing a shift
in the interference pattern

Beam traveling against the rotation experiences a slightly

shorter path than the other beam
• By measuring the frequency shift of the interference pattern,
changes in the vehicle’s orientation can be determine
 No moving parts
 Better accuracy & reliability than mechanical gyroscope
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Gyroscopes
 Fibre Optic Gyroscope
• Uses the interference of light to detect mechanical rotation
Same principle as ring laser gyroscope
• The sensor is a coil of as much as 5 km of optical fibre
• Two light beams travel along the fibre in opposite directions
Beam traveling against the rotation experiences a slightly shorter path than the other beam
The resulting phase shift of the interference pattern indicates vehicle rotation
The intensity of the combined beam indicates the rotation rate of the device
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors Magnetometers
 Magnetometers
• A magnetometer functions as a highly accurate compass that measures the direction and strength of the local magnetic field
• By comparing this measurement to a model of the Earth’s field it can determine an accurate estimation of the spacecrafts attitude
 Work best in LEO where the field strength is highest
 Need an accurate model of the Earth’s magnetic field
 Offer a relatively cheap independent reference that can be compared to other sensors
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors GPS
 Global Positioning System
• GPS is a constellation of 24 satellites in MEO that can provide position, velocity and time information
• By placing two GPS receivers some distance apart on a spacecraft and comparing the phase of the signals, it is possible to determine attitude
• Accuracy limited by:
• Reflected signals from spacecraft
• Accuracy of phase measurements
• Antenna separation
• Can only receive GPS signals if you are below the constellation (i.e. LEO)
Spacecraft Attitude Sensors - Example

BRITE (20 ×20 × 20 cm): Attitude determination with an

accuracy of 10 arcseconds for BRITE (20 ×20 × 20 cm) is
made possible with a magnetometer, six sun sensors and a
star tracker. The GPS is used for position information.
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators
 Once the spacecraft attitude is determined, we need to know how to
change it if required
 Actuators provide torque on demand to rotate a spacecraft as needed to
take pictures, downlink data or meet other mission requirements
 Passive Actuators
• Gravity-gradient stabilization
• Spin stabilization
• Dampers Require Commonly
 Active Actuators little or use more
• Thrusters no input than one
• Magnetic Torquers type of
• Momentum Control Devices actuator
Require
for attitude
continuous
control
feedback and
adjustment
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Passive
 Gravity-Gradient Stabilization
• Takes advantage of the gravity-gradient
disturbance discussed earlier
• Can exploit this free torque to keep a spacecraft
oriented in a vertical orientation
 Cheap and simple
 Pitch and roll only (no yaw)
 Limited accuracy depending
on spacecraft’s mass
distribution ( 5)
 LEO only

Example: GeoSat Radar Altimeter

Launched in 1985 to measure sea surface height
Used gravity gradient to keep radar altimeter pointing at the Earth
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Passive
 Spin Stabilization
• Takes advantage of angular momentum to maintain a constant inertial orientation of one of its axes

• Spin stabilization isn’t useful for Earth pointing missions since they will not point at the Earth for part of the orbit
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Passive
 Spin Stabilization Examples

• Explorer 6 (1959)
Designed to study trapped radiation
Spin stabilized at 168 rpm

• Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)

GOES 1 to 7 (1975 to 1987) were spin stabilized at 100 RPM
Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer used the spin of the satellite to scan the Earth
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Passive
 Dual-Spin Stabilization
• One way to avoid Earth-pointing limitations of spin stabilization is to use a
dual-spin system
• Combines the gyroscopic stiffness of a spinning outer section with a de-
spun inner section that can point independently at the Earth
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Passive
 Dual-Spin Stabilization (continued)
• The de-spun inner section does actually spin, but at a much slower rate than the outer
section
This allows for antenna and sensor pointing
• Inherently complex system, but is still a common control option for large GEO
communications satellites

Anik-C Series (1983 - 2002)

Dual Spin Stabilization
Geostationary orbit, providing
pay television to Canada
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Passive

 Dampers
• A damper is a device that changes angular momentum by
absorbing energy
Uses friction or other means to convert momentum energy
into other forms
• A simple damper consists of a ball in a circular tube filled with
a viscous fluid
As the spacecraft rotates, some of its momentum is
converted to heat through the friction of the ball in the
tube, slowing its rotation

• Dampers are used to take

unwanted wobbles in the spin axis
• Normally used in conjunction with
other types of attitude actuators
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active

 Thrusters
• Thrusters are rockets that rotate the spacecraft
• By applying a balanced force with a pair of rockets on
opposite sides of a spacecraft, we can produce torque
• By varying thruster power, the satellite can be rotated
in any direction
• Placing the thrusters as far from the satellite’s center of
mass as possible allows them to exert a greater torque
 Can produce well-defined
torque on demand
allowing a spacecraft to
slew quickly from one
attitude to another
 Amount of propellant limits
their use
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active
 Magnetic Torquers
• Takes advantage of naturally occurring magnetic
torques due to the Earth’s magnetic field
• The onboard system switches electromagnets on and
off as needed
The electromagnet aligns with the Earth’s
magnetic field, dragging the spacecraft with it
 Important secondary means of
attitude control for satellites in highly
inclined LEO
 Cheap and simple
 Use electrical power, not
propellant
 Less useful in orbits higher than
LEO
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active
 Magnetic Torquer Example (Vectronic Aerospace)

Magnetic Dipole Moment 5 to 100 Am2

Size (Length x Width x Height) 282 x 43 x 51 mm
Weight 750 g
Power Supply Voltage Range 9 to 14 V
Power consumption 0.5 to 6 W

Company Description
The detailed mechanical design generally depends on the geometrical
properties and requirements of the respective project. Therefore
length, position and mounting of the internal electronics and the
electrical specifications have to be adaptable. Static mode uses only
magnetization of the rod for a weaker magnetic field and current mode
uses a constant current for a strong magnetic field.
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active
 Momentum-Control Devices
• Vary the angular momentum of small rotating masses within a space craft to
change its attitude
Utilize conservation of angular momentum
Small mass with a high spin rate has the same angular velocity as a large
mass with a slow spin rate
Since the spinning mass is a small fraction of the spacecraft's total mass,
H  IΩ easily-measurable changes in its speed provide very precise changes in angle
• Three types of momentum-control devices:
Biased momentum systems
Zero-biased systems
Control-moment gyroscopes
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active

 Biased momentum systems

• Simplest type of momentum-control device
• Uses one or two spinning momentum wheels
• Because the wheels are always rapidly spinning, they
give the spacecraft a large angular momentum vector
• Similar to spin-stabilization, except instead of spinning
the whole spacecraft only a small wheel inside the
spacecraft is spun to achieve the same effect
Achieves spin stabilization without spinning the
spacecraft
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active

 Zero-biased systems
• Includes three independent reaction wheels at right
angles to each other with little or no initial momentum
• When the spacecraft needs to rotate to a new attitude,
or to absorb a disturbance torque, the system spins one
or more of these wheels

 Provides precise attitude control and is the primary

choice for satellites requiring accurate pointing
 Complex, expensive, limited operational lifetime
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Reaction Wheels

The total angular

momentum of a spacecraft
system is the sum of the
spacecraft’s momentum
plus the momentum of
each reaction wheel

 In this simple single-axis example we start with a non-

rotating spacecraft that has zero angular momentum
 To rotate the spacecraft in one direction, the reaction wheel
is spun up in the opposite direction
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active
 Reaction Wheel Example (Vectronic Aerospace)

Nominal Speed 5000 RPM

Size (Length x Width x Height) 115 x 115 x 86 mm
Weight 1.8 kg
Power consumption 6 to 25 W
Moment of Inertia 2.12 10-3 kgm2
Available Torque 20 mNm

Company Description
The ratio between acceleration of the wheel and the spacecraft is equal
to the ratio of their moments of inertia. The reaction wheel RW1
comprises the following components: brushless DC Motor, rotor, wheel
drive electronics and housing. By changing the rotor geometry, input
voltage range or communication protocol, the characteristics are easy to
adapt to customer needs.
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators Active

 Control-moment gyroscopes
• Consists of three or more spinning reaction wheels, each
mounted on gimbals that allow them to rotate freely in all
directions
• Momentum is changed by changing the magnitude and
direction of the spinning wheels
Since the angular momentum of the system must be
conserved, the spacecraft will rotate in the opposite direction
to compensate
• Provide pointing accuracy equivalent to reaction wheels, but
offer higher skew rates
Effective on large platforms
3-Axis Stabilization
RADARSAT-2
Attitude Determination: Sun
sensors, 3-axis gyros, star trackers
Attitude Control: 3-axis stabilization
(reaction wheels), magnetic
torquers

CAN-X Generic Nanosatellite Bus

Miniaturized components allow
precise attitude determination and
control. BRITE (20 × 20 × 20) uses 3
orthogonal reaction wheels and 3
orthogonal magnetorquer coils for
three-axis attitude control and
momentum dumping
Spacecraft Attitude Actuators
 Momentum Dumping
• A limitation of all momentum-control devices is that there is a
practical limit to how fast a given wheel can spin
• During operation, these systems must gradually spin faster and
faster to rotate the spacecraft and absorb disturbance torques
Wheels become saturated
• Momentum dumping is a technique for decreasing the angular
momentum of the wheel by applying a controlled torque to the
spacecraft
Spacecraft needs an independent way of applying an external
torque
 Magnetic torquers and/or thrusters are normally used for

momentum dumping
Comparison

Attitude Control
Methods and
their
Capabilities
The Controller
 The controller generates commands for the actuators to make
the spacecraft point in the right direction based on mission
requirements for accuracy and slew rate
 To use the information from sensors and continuously adjust
actuator commands, the controller has to keep track of:
• What is happening now
• What may happen in the future
• What happened in the past
 The controller combines its memory with its current
measurements and ability to predict future behaviour to decide
how to command the actuators
The Controller
 Derivative Control
• Sensors determines current attitude and compares it to desired attitude
• The difference between the measured and desired attitude is the error
signal
• The controller then sends a message to the actuators to correct to the
desired attitude
Knowing the rate of change of attitude allows more accurate slewing
 Integral Control
• Controller considers the change in angular difference over time, 
• Controller then calculates how much torque to add in a steady-state
mode to compensate for disturbance torques
Used when highly accurate pointing is desired
The Controller

Derivative Control
System input: desired attitude
Disturbance Torques

Error Commands Torques

Actuators
Signal Controller Spacecraft

Sensors
Measured attitude

Physical output:
the current attitude
 Attitude Control Royal Military College
of Canada

Part 1:
Attitude Dynamics

Part 2: R.F. Vincent

Sensors and Actuators