Extended validation of a ground-based three-axis spacecraft simulator model

The ground-based spacecraft dynamics simulator plays an important role in the implementation and validation of attitude control scenarios before a mission. The development of a comprehensive mathematical model of the platform is one of the indispensable and challenging steps during the control design process. A precise mathematical model should include mass properties, disturbances forces, mathematical models of actuators and uncertainties. This paper presents an approach for synthesizing a set of trajectories scenarios to estimate the platform inertia tensor, center of mass and aerodynamic drag coefficients. Reaction wheel drag torque is also estimated for having better performance. In order to verify the estimation techniques, a dynamics model of the satellite simulator using MATLAB software was developed, and the problem reduces to a parameter estimation problem to match the experimental results obtained from the simulator using a classical Lenevnberg-Marquardt optimization method. The process of parameter identification and mathematical model development has implemented on a three-axis spherical satellite simulator using air bearing, and several experiments are performed to validate the results. For validation of the simulator model, the model and experimental results must be carefully matched. The experimental results demonstrate that step-by-step implementation of this scenario leads to a detailed model of the platform which can be employed to design and develop control algorithms.