Small Satellites

The 12th International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS 2015 was held in Zhukovsky district (Moscow region) on 24–30 August. Dr. Danil Ivanov has visited the salon and discussed collaboration with our partners from space industry.

Our colleagues from Sputnix Ltd presented a mock-up of the microsatellite TabletSat-Aurora (launched successfully last year) at the stand of the Skolkovo innovation center. Our team provided algorithms for the attitude control system of the satellite. Now we are constructing a unique facility for simulation of formation flying motion.

The stand of JSC Russian Space Systems hosted an exhibition on nanosatellites. The first one of TNS series (on the R of the photo) was launched in 2005, the second satellite (on the L of the photo) is to be launched this year. Our group provides angular motion control and supplies elements of passive attitude control system for these satellites.

Lavochkin Research and Production Association demonstrated a project for a small asteroid-exploring satellite. Our group evaluates both reaction wheel desaturation under disturbances effecting the satellite and thruster execution errors.

Vivid interest was attracted to the stand of the Laboratory of high-precision attitude control systems by Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and Sputnix Ltd. There a pilot model of reaction wheel for small satellites for high-resolution photography was demonstrated. The high-precision reaction wheels with broad range of control torques can be mounted on various satellites including the nano- ones.

The salon’s education stand hosted a lot of interesting school projects. Artyom Vasyunik has presented a 3D model of the microsatellite Chibis-M. The highly detailed model is well suited for simulation of satellite attitude motion control algorithms studied by our group. We have developed the algorithms of angular motion control for Chibis-M as well.