Embedded attitude control system for the educative satellite SATEDU

This paper presents the attitude control system embedded in a FPGA device that serves as a testing platform for different attitude control schemes of small satellites. The ACS hardware is integrated in the SATEDU educational satellite, which was developed in the Engineering Institute of UNAM for satellite technology evaluation, research and teaching activities. The performance of the ACS hardware is evaluated and tested on an air bearing table where non-friction conditions in space are simulated. A key feature of the system is the remote FPGA reconfiguration that allows SATEDU to have a flexible tool to evaluate several schemes of orientation and control once the satellite is being tested on the air bearing. The paper presents the development and validation processes and constrains of the system using the on-board components.