Attitude Module Characterization of the Satellite Formation Flight Testbed

Satellite Formation Flying (SFF) is a key technology for several future missions, since, with respect to a single spacecraft, it allows better performances, new capabilities, more flexibility and robustness to failure and cost reduction. Despite these benefits, however, the SFF concept poses several significant design challenges and requires new technologies, including new sensors, actuators and Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) algorithms. Ground-based spacecraft hardware simulators can be used for the development and verification of both hardware (sensors and actuators) and software (GN&C) for SFF. In this paper we describe the main features of the Satellite Formation Flying Hardware Simulator under development at the University of Padova, presenting experimental activities results of the Attitude Module onboard cold gas thrusters force characterization and inertia tensor estimation.