Design, Manufacturing, and Test of a Real-Time, Three-Axis Magnetic Field Simulator

This paper deals with the design, manufacturing, and test of a three-axis magnetic field simulator for space applications. The main aim of this simulator is to reproduce the orbital magnetic field conditions in a definite volume. The simulator makes it possible to carry out the ground calibration campaign of the satellite magnetic sensors and can be used in attitude control system simulations that exploit "hardware in the loop" devices. An overview of the mechanical and electronics design of the system is given; the mathematical model of the expected field is also discussed, achieving design constraints to get the largest homogeneous magnetic field volume. Moreover, test campaign results regarding magnetic field homogeneity are depicted and compared with those expected in theory.