Numerical Simulations of Nanosatellite Dynamics for the Assessment of Hysteresis Rod Damping in Very Low Earth Orbits
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/jatm.v18.1449Keywords:
Nanosatellites, Attitude control, Magnetic damping, HysteresisAbstract
Over the past decade, nanosatellites have evolved from simple educational platforms into effective tools for scientific research, technology demonstration, and commercial services. This growth resulted in a sharp increase in deployments in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), contributing to its congestion. Very Low Earth Orbits (VLEO), typically below 400 km, are therefore becoming an attractive alternative. Their proximity to Earth offers advantages such as improved sensing performance and reduced communication latency, but also introduces significant challenges due to the strong aerodynamic resistance in the denser atmospheric layers. A particular feature of VLEO is the stronger interaction with Earth’s geomagnetic field compared to LEO, suggesting that passive magnetic attitude control (PMAC) may be effective in this regime. Therefore, this paper presents numerical simulations, based on a methodology developed at Samara University, to assess angular-velocity damping using soft magnetic materials in VLEO. The simulations account for spacecraft-specific parameters, mission requirements, and different possible configurations. The methodology is described in sufficient detail to allow reproduction, providing a practical tool for early mission design.
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