Ultraprecision Pointing Accuracy for SmallSat/CubeSat Attitude Control Systems

The primary objective of the Phase I investigation is to develop and demonstrate an innovative solution that can enable very high precision pointing accuracy (<0.08 degree nominal; <0.03 degree extended goal) at fast slew rates; providing part of a advanced Smallsat/CubeSat precision attitude determination and control system (PADCS) that can meet emerging very stringent missions requirements. The Phase I program aim is to design and fabricate initial prototype hardware, including power electronics and Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA) modifications as to demonstrating such positional accuracy capability, power cost (peak and average power consumption), slew rates and mass/volume cost of the new solution. A critical objective of Phase I will be to develop at the decoupled control architecture for the new multi-stage Attitude Control System ACS controller that will be modeled, simulated, and then converted to hardware prototype for Phase I assessments. This goal is to integrate this prototype controller into a multi-stage (ACS) design hardware emulation testbed and evaluate actual performance before conclusion of the program.

Investment by NASA/NSF in SmallSats programs and projects is rapidly increasing. As already identified in previous studies, the scope of these mission increase there will be a corresponding increase in demand for high accuracy Attitude Control System ACS capability. This is especially true for cross formation flying, cross-link communications, and proximity, rendezvous operations, observational data, and onboard experiments. Our goal will be to make available a near-universal low cost enhancement add-on that NASA users from academia to NASA Centers can purchase and easily install between the RWA bracket and a common attachment plate (possibly PCB) that can easily be linked into legacy, or to be developed, ACS controller design (e.g. PI or PID) as to substantially increase pointing accuracy of the SmallSat/CubeSat platform.

The US military is now involved in a number of initiatives to deploy and evaluate small satellites for a range of missions. This includes initiatives by NRO, USAF, Navy and more recently Army, some of which are being undertaken tandem with NASA Centers. QorTek is working closely with a prime contractor on the proposed technology, this contractor being among the single largest developers and suppliers of such SmallSats to the US military (ranging from 3U to 12U). The relationship between QorTek and prime contractor will allow us to utilize their facilities in Phase II and transition the technology to some early platform assessments in a Phase III (which may be a contractor-led/funded activity). There are a number of other military and non-military applications for the identical solutioins that include fast pointing systems for active and adaptive optics, most prominently Fast Steering Mirrors, which will be direct canidates for transition of the proposed new technology.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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