The accurate determination of spacecraft attitude has always been a critical issue in many applications. The presence of imperfect sensors introduces errors in the system and affects the outcome of the mission. One of the most significant sensors is the rate gyroscope. Particularly, the rate gyros are known to degrade with time, introducing random noise and bias. This calls for estimation algorithms which process the measured data in order to reduce the effects of the disturbances to a minimum. This research presents an approach which takes full advantage on the nonlinear dynamics and possibly non-Gaussian disturbances. It is based on recent work involving particle filters, where the probability density functions are approximated by a relatively large number of parameters. It is shown that accurate attitude estimation can be obtained with a manageable number of particles.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Design requirements for a small satellite (NPSAT-1) Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS) is a three-axis stabilized spacecraft which requires a control attitude of +/- 1.0 degrees and knowledge attitude of +/- 0.1 degree. Several design aspects are considered in development of attitude control systems for a small satellite, such as: spacecraft dynamics, space environment, disturbance torques, orbit type, and spacecraft complexity. The ideal spacecraft's attitude sensor is a rate gyroscope, which provides rate information to the attitude control system. In the case of NPSAT-1, due to budget constraints alternative sensors will be utilized, such as: a three-axis magnetometer, earth sensors, and a Global Positioning System (GPS). A small satellite designed to have a three-axis stabilized, biased momentum system, must have a robust control system and requires a momentum wheel to provide stiffness to maintain attitude, and magnetic torque rods on each axis. The current design of NPSAT-1 uses all of these sensors to provide rate information for damping and stability to the control system that requires a complicated attitude control design. The purpose of this attitude control design simulation is to investigate and propose a control law utilizing a single pitch momentum wheel and three magnetic torque rods. A further proposal is to utilize a constant speed momentum wheel to avoid momentum damping and over speed, replace the pitch control with magnetic torquers, and develop a Kalman filter estimator to provide all the required angular rates. / Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / This thesis considers the problem of time-optimal spacecraft slew maneuvers. Since the work of Bilimoria and Wie it has been known that the time-optimal reorientation of a symmetric rigid body was not the eigenaxis maneuver once thought to be correct. Here, this concept is extended to axisymmetric and asymmetric rigid body reorientations with idealized independent torque generating devices. The premise that the time-optimal maneuver is not, in general, an eigenaxis maneuver, is shown to hold for all spacecraft configurations. The methodology is then extended to include spacecraft control systems employing magnetic torque rods, a combination of pitch bias wheel with magnetic torque rods, and finally to control systems employing single gimbal control moment gyros. The resulting control solutions, designed within the limitations of the actuators, eliminate the requirement to avoid actuator singularities. Finally, by employing sampled-state feedback the viability of real-time optimal closed loop control is demonstrated.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Civil Engineering)--Vanderbilt University, May 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Ballute hypersonic aerodynamic decelerators have been considered for aerocapture since the early 1980's. Recent technology advances in fabric and polymer materials as well as analysis capabilities lend credibility to the potential of ballute aerocapture. The concept of the thin-film ballute for aerocapture shows the potential for large mass savings over propulsive orbit insertion or rigid aeroshell aerocapture. Several technology hurdles have been identified, including the effects of coupled fluid structure interaction on ballute performance and survivability. To date, no aeroelastic solutions of thin-film ballutes in an environment relevant to aerocapture have been published. In this investigation, an aeroelastic solution methodology is presented along with the analysis codes selected for each discipline. Variable-fidelity aerodynamic tools are used due to the long run times for computational fluid dynamics or direct simulation Monte Carlo analyses. The improved serial staggered method is used to couple the disciplinary analyses in a time-accurate manner, and direct node-matching is used for data transfer. In addition, an engineering approximation has been developed as an addition to modified Newtonian analysis to include the first-order effects of damping due to the fluid, providing a rapid dynamic aeroelastic analysis suitable for conceptual design. Static aeroelastic solutions of a clamped ballute on a Titan aerocapture trajectory are presented using non-linear analysis in a representative environment on a flexible structure. Grid convergence is demonstrated for both structural and aerodynamic models used in this analysis. Static deformed shape, drag and stress level are predicted at multiple points along the representative Titan aerocapture trajectory. Results are presented for verification and validation cases of the structural dynamics and simplified aerodynamics tools. Solutions match experiment and other validated codes well. Contributions of this research include the development of a tool for aeroelastic analysis of thin-film ballutes which is used to compute the first high-fidelity aeroelastic solutions of thin-film ballutes using inviscid perfect-gas aerodynamics. Additionally, an aerodynamics tool that implements an engineering estimate of hypersonic aerodynamics with a moving boundary condition is developed and used to determine the flutter point of a thin-film ballute on a Titan aerocapture trajectory.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-158). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, September 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): Henline, William D. ; Platzer, Max F. Second Reader: Chandrasekhara, M. S. "September 1990." Description based on title screen as viewed on December 21, 2009. DTIC Identifier(s): Ceramic materials, ablative materials, heat shields, reusable equipment, space flight, thermal insulation, atmospheric entry, hypersonic flow, Mars probes, arc heaters, melting, glass, RSI (reusable surface insulaiton), aerodynamic heating, stagnation pressure, mathematical prediction, theses. Author(s) subject terms: Ablative, hypersonic, NASA, Mars, heat shield. Includes bibliographical references (p. 110). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2009. / Thesis Advisor(s): Romano, Marcello ; Bevilacqua, Riccardo. "December 2009." Description based on title screen as viewed on January 27, 2010. Author(s) subject terms: spacecraft, cubesat, nanosat, TINYSCOPE, simulator, test bed, control, system identification, least squares, adaptive mass balancing, mass balancing, three axis simulator, NACL, TAS, CubeTAS, ADCS. Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-82). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1999. / Cover title. Computer printout. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. [103]-112). Available electronically via Internet.

Thesis (M.S. in Astronautical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, September 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): Agrawal, Brij N. Second Reader: Titus, Harold. "September 1990." Description based on title screen as viewed on December 17, 2009. DTIC Identifier(s): Attitude Control Systems, Flexible Structures, Spacecraft, Structural Response, Resonant Frequency, Experimental Design, Model Tests, Active Control, Gifts Computer Program, Dynamic Response, Computerized Simulation, Control Theory, Modal Analysis, Laboratory Tests, Theses. Author(s) subject terms: Attitude Control, Flexible Structures. Includes bibliographical references (p. 52). Also available in print.