Effect of reaction wheel configurations on control performance in low earth orbit satellites

Year 2025, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 853 - 870, 31.07.2025

Seda Kartal

https://doi.org/10.61112/jiens.1711195

Abstract

This study involves a comprehensive modeling and analysis process for the attitude control of a satellite operating in low Earth orbit (LEO). Initially, a mathematical model representing the satellite's rotational motions along the x, y, and z axes—namely roll, pitch, and yaw—was derived. Subsequently, the electrical and mechanical properties of the reaction wheel systems employed for precise attitude control were examined in detail. The attitude control was achieved by driving each reaction wheel with a DC motor, and the torque and angular velocity parameters generated by the motors were regulated using Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers. Three different reaction wheel configurations were investigated: the standard orthogonal three-wheel setup, the tetrahedral four-wheel configuration, and the pyramid four-wheel structure. For each configuration, a comparative analysis was conducted in terms of system performance, control stability, and energy efficiency. The findings indicate that pyramid four-wheel configuration exhibits the highest energy consumption. The results demonstrate that selecting an appropriate configuration in accordance with mission requirements plays a critical role in determining the overall performance of the attitude control system.

Keywords

leo , Reaction wheel Configüration , Attitude control , PID

Alçak yörünge uydularında itki teker konfigürasyonlarının kontrol performansına etkisi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, alçak Dünya yörüngesinde (LEO) görev yapan bir uydunun yönelim kontrolünü sağlamak amacıyla gerçekleştirilen modelleme, analiz ve denetim sürecini kapsamaktadır. Çalışmada, uydunun x, y, z eksenlerindeki dönme hareketlerini tanımlayan roll (yuvarlanma), pitch (yunuslama) ve yaw (sapma) yönelim dinamiklerine dayalı matematiksel model oluşturulmuş, ardından yönelim kontrolünü sağlayan itki tekeri sistemlerinin elektriksel ve mekanik özellikleri detaylı şekilde incelenmiştir. Kontrol sistemi, her bir tekerin bir DC motorla sürülmesi ve bu motorların oluşturduğu tork ile açısal hızların PID denetleyiciler aracılığıyla kontrol edilmesiyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Üç farklı itki tekeri konfigürasyonu olan ortogonal 3 teker, dörtyüzlü 4 teker ve piramit 4 teker yapıları karşılaştırmalı olarak analiz edilmiştir. Her konfigürasyon için yuvarlanma, yunuslama ve sapma yönelimlerine sırasıyla 0.4 rad/s, 0.8 rad/s ve 1 rad/s yönelim açıları uygulanmış ve sistemin istenilen yönelime ulaşma süresi dörtyüzlü ve piramit konfigürasyonlarda yaklaşık 1 saniye, ortogonal yapıda ise yaklaşık 0,5 saniye olarak gözlemlenmiştir. Performans değerlendirmesi sonucunda ortogonal yapı 7.266×10⁻⁷ W güç harcayarak 15.633×10⁻⁷ rad/s maksimum açısal hıza ulaşırken, dörtyüzlü yapı 7.768×10⁻⁷ W güç harcamış ve 18.232×10⁻⁷ rad/s hıza ulaşmıştır; piramit yapı ise en yüksek tüketimi ve hızı sergileyerek 7.817×10⁻⁷ W güç ve 18.468×10⁻⁷ rad/s maksimum açısal hız üretmiştir. Sonuçlar, yönelim kontrol sistemlerinde görev profiline uygun konfigürasyon seçiminin, sistemin enerji verimliliği, yönelim doğruluğu ve kararlılığı üzerinde belirleyici olduğunu göstermektedir.

Keywords

LEO , İtki teker konfigürasyonu , PID , Yönelim Kontrolcü

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