Modeling and Attitude Control of Satellites in Elliptical Orbits

Abstract

The attitude determination and control system (ADCS) for spacecraft is responsible for determining its orientation using sensor measurements and then applying actuation forces to change the orientation. This chapter details the different components required for a complete attitude determination and control system for satellites moving in elliptical orbits. Specifically, the chapter details the orbital mechanics; perturbations; controller design; actuation methods such as thrusters, reaction wheels, and magnetic torquers; actuation modulation methods such as bang-bang, pulse-width modulation, and pulse-width pulse-frequency; as well as attitude determination using vector measurements combined with mathematical models. In sum, the work describes in a tutorial manner how to put everything together to enable the design of a complete satellite simulator.