Experimental Verification for Attitude Control of Spacecraft Utilizing Double-Gimbal Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyroscopes

Double-gimbal variable-speed control momentum gyroscopes (DGVSCMGs) have been attracting attention as actuators for satellite attitude control. The DGVSCMG has the advantage in that it can provide three-axis torque using a single unit, and various control methods have been actively investigated. However, previous studies only evaluated control performance via numerical simulations. The authors experimentally evaluate the control performance of the proposed DGVSCMG for practical verification. An experimental DGVSCMG machine was fabricated and three-axis attitude control in the gravity environment of an indoor experiment was achieved. The results are compared with numerical simulation results to confirm the validity of the proposed dynamics model and control system.