Design and on-orbit performance of the attitude determination and control system for the ZDPS-1A pico-satellite

The ZDPS-1A pico-satellite, developed by the Zhejiang University, is featured with a three-axis stabilizing capability. It is 15×15×15 cm3 cube-shaped satellite with a total mass of 3.5 kg. ZDPS-1A is the first pico-satellite that has been launched successfully in China. The mission of ZDPS-1A is on-orbit system verification of student-build pico-satellite and wide range earth observation with a micro panoramic camera. A miniature momentum wheel is employed to offer gyro stiffness stability in the pitch (orbit normal) axis. Magnetic coils are employed to generate control torques to achieve the three-axis stabilization of nadir-pointing. The attitude sensors employed in the design include two three-axis magnetometers (TAMs), a three-axis gyro, and two sun sensors. Both ground simulations and on-orbit testing are conducted to verify the feasibility of the given attitude determination and control system (ADCS).

► This paper introduces a pico-satellite ZDPS-1A developed from Zhejiang University. ► The performance of the pico-satellite ZDPS-1A was tested on orbit. ► The control accuracy of the pico-satellite ZDPS-1A has reached to within 2°. ► Clear earth image was transmitted by a panoramic CMOS camera. ► On-orbit results verify the realization of nadir pointing three-axis stabilization.