Method of controlling the attitude and stabilization of a satellite in low orbit

摘要

For controlling the attitude of a satellite placed on a low earth orbit, components of a vector Bm of the earth's magnetic field along three measurement axes of a frame of reference bound with the satellite (typically by means of a three-axis magnetometer) are measured. The orientation of the earth's magnetic field in the frame of reference is computed and a derivative {dot over (Bm of the vector is also computed. Magneto-couplers carried by the satellite are energized to create a torque for spinning the satellite at an angular frequency omegac about a determined spin axis of the satellite, where omegac is greater than an orbital angular frequency 2omega0 of the satellite.