Nanosatellite REFLECTOR: Choice of parameters of the attitude control system

We consider methodological and applied problems of choosing parameters and developing a passive gravity-gradient attitude control system for the REFLECTOR nanosatellite. The attitude control system consists of appropriately distributed satellite mass and additional masses forming the required tensor of inertia, as well as of a set of hysteresis rods manufactured from a magnetically soft material. The combination of these elements allows one, independent of the satellite’s initial angular motion, to maintain its three-axial orientation in the orbital coordinate system with preset performance in precision and fast response. The satellite’s dynamics is investigated using asymptotic and numerical methods. The problems of arrangement of the additional masses and hysteresis rods are discussed, as well as their interaction with magnetizable elements.