TY - JOUR
T1 - On-orbit verification of fuel-free attitude control system for spinning solar sail utilizing solar radiation pressure
AU - Funase, Ryu
AU - Shirasawa, Yoji
AU - Mimasu, Yuya
AU - Mori, Osamu
AU - Tsuda, Yuichi
AU - Saiki, Takanao
AU - Kawaguchi, Jun'Ichiro
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - This paper introduces a new attitude control system for a solar sail, which leverages solar radiation pressure. This novel system achieves completely fuel-free and oscillation-free attitude control of a flexible spinning solar sail. This system consists of thin-film-type devices that electrically control their optical parameters such as reflectivity to generate an imbalance in the solar radiation pressure applied to the edge of the sail. By using these devices, minute and continuous control torque can be applied to the sail to realize very stable and fuel-free attitude control of the large and flexible membrane. The control system was implemented as an optional attitude control system for small solar power sail demonstrator named IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun). In-orbit attitude control experiments were conducted, and the performance of the controller was successfully verified in comparison with the ground-based analytical performance estimation.
AB - This paper introduces a new attitude control system for a solar sail, which leverages solar radiation pressure. This novel system achieves completely fuel-free and oscillation-free attitude control of a flexible spinning solar sail. This system consists of thin-film-type devices that electrically control their optical parameters such as reflectivity to generate an imbalance in the solar radiation pressure applied to the edge of the sail. By using these devices, minute and continuous control torque can be applied to the sail to realize very stable and fuel-free attitude control of the large and flexible membrane. The control system was implemented as an optional attitude control system for small solar power sail demonstrator named IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun). In-orbit attitude control experiments were conducted, and the performance of the controller was successfully verified in comparison with the ground-based analytical performance estimation.
KW - Flexible structure
KW - Fuel-free attitude control
KW - Liquid crystal thin film device
KW - Reflectivity control device
KW - Solar radiation pressure
KW - Spinning solar sail
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80054057234&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.asr.2011.02.022
DO - 10.1016/j.asr.2011.02.022
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80054057234
SN - 0273-1177
VL - 48
SP - 1740
EP - 1746
JO - Advances in Space Research
JF - Advances in Space Research
IS - 11
ER -