Fuzzy attitude control for a nanosatellite in low Earth orbit

• We design a PID and an adaptive fuzzy controller for the same satellite mission.
• This is the first time the performances and cost of operation of a PID and an adaptive fuzzy controllers are compared.
• The fuzzy controller is more efficient than the PID for single manoeuvres with similar accuracy.

In order to develop and introduce intelligent systems in the space field, an adaptive fuzzy logic controller is designed for a nanosatellite. Attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) and its performance and efficiency are compared with a traditional proportional integrative derivative (PID) controller. Fuzzy controllers have already been studied for satellite attitude control; however their performance has not been compared with the classical PID controllers typically being implemented on board spacecrafts currently. Both controllers have been designed and implemented in order to be tested on board a nanosatellite (QBITO) in a nearby mission (QB50), a constellation of 50 nanosatellites. Due to the requirements imposed by the mission, the orbit, and the significant limitations in the power available in these small spacecrafts, an efficient ADCS is required in order to fulfill the mission objectives. The comparison between the classical PID and the fuzzy controllers shows that the fuzzy controller is much more efficient in single maneuver (up to 65% less power required), achieving better precision in general than the PID. This shows that the use of this type of intelligent control systems is a great advantage over conventional control systems currently being used in satellite attitude control, and open new possibilities of application of intelligent controllers in the field of space technologies.