The analysis, verification and emulation of attitude control hardware for nanosatellite spacecraft is described. The overall focus is on hardware that pertains to a multitude of missions currently under development at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies - Space Flight Laboratory. The requirements for these missions push the boundaries of what is currently the accepted performance level of attitude control hardware. These new performance envelopes demand new acceptance test methods which must verify the performance of the attitude control hardware. In particular, reaction wheel and hysteresis rod actuators are the focus. Results of acceptance testing are further employed in post spacecraft integration for hardware emulation. This provides for a reduced mission cost as a function of reduced spare hardware. The overall approach provides a method of acceptance testing to new performance envelopes with the benefit of cost reduction with hardware emulation for simulations during post integration.

The analysis, verification and emulation of attitude control hardware for nanosatellite spacecraft is described. The overall focus is on hardware that pertains to a multitude of missions currently under development at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies - Space Flight Laboratory. The requirements for these missions push the boundaries of what is currently the accepted performance level of attitude control hardware. These new performance envelopes demand new acceptance test methods which must verify the performance of the attitude control hardware. In particular, reaction wheel and hysteresis rod actuators are the focus. Results of acceptance testing are further employed in post spacecraft integration for hardware emulation. This provides for a reduced mission cost as a function of reduced spare hardware. The overall approach provides a method of acceptance testing to new performance envelopes with the benefit of cost reduction with hardware emulation for simulations during post integration.