Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to design a new attitude stabilization system for a microsatellite based on single gimbal control moment gyro (SGCMG) in which the gimbal rates are selected as controller parameters.
Design/methodology/approach
In the stability mode, linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control strategies are presented with the gimbal rates as a controller parameters. Instead of developing a control torque to solve the attitude problem, the attitude controller is developed in terms of the control moment gyroscope gimbal angular velocities. Attitude control torques are generated by means of a four SGCMG pyramid cluster.
Findings
Numerical simulation results are provided to show the efficiency of the proposed controllers. Simulation results show that this method could stabilize satellite from initial condition with large angles and with more accuracy in comparison with feedback quaternion and proportional-integral-derivative controllers. These results show the effect of filtering the noisy signal in the LQG controller. LQG in comparison to LQR is more realistic.
Practical implications
The LQR method is more appropriate for the systems that have project models reasonably exact and ideal sensors/actuators. LQG is more realistic, and it can be used when not all of the states are available or when the system presents noises. LQR/LQG controller can be used in the stabilization mode of satellite attitude control.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper is designing a new attitude stabilization system for an agile microsatellite using LQR and LQG controllers.