Attitude Control of the Disposal Phase of the eCube Mission for Atmospheric Data Acquisition

This paper aims at providing a new perspective on the attitude dynamics and control system of a new CubeSat mission concept for atmospheric data acquisition, in the region between 200 km and 100 km, for more accurate reentry predictions. It discusses the main challenges and the feasibility of analysing the main atmospheric parameters via onboard sensors of a 12-unit CubeSat, designed at Politecnico di Milano. The paper presents the attitude control system feasibility during the data-acquisition phase, when the disturbance given by the atmospheric density is highly affecting the CubeSat dynamics, before the atmospheric disposal. After the estimation of the maximum momentum storage and the maximum torque acting on the satellites, a control law is provided to control the attitude via reaction wheels, allowing the data acquisition from the onboard sensors. Moreover, an analysis of the desaturation strategy is presented, to satisfy the pointing accuracy for the measurements of the network of sensors. The analysis could provide a baseline for future similar mission in the same orbital region, to enhance the acquisition of atmospheric data.