Design and manufacturing of a research magnetic torquer rod

Abstract

Microsatellites are the lowest price spacecrafts for lunch to their orbit. As a result, recently they are extensively employed in space missions. In these satellites it has been tried to use less heavy and simple hardware with higher reliability and energy efficiency. Magnetorquers are mainly used in Satellite Attitude Control Systems (ASC) as a control actuator. These actuators generate desired controllable torques. The Magnetorquers have the characteristics of a relatively lightweight and they also require no moving parts, expendables, and complex hardware. These minimum requirements have motivated scientific community to employ actuators in spacecrafts extensively. This paper presents Design procedures and manufacturing of a research magnetorquer in Aerospace Research Laboratory of K.N.Toosi University of Technology, Iran. Firstly, a mathematical model for design of a magnetorquer is explained, and the significant parameters for manufacturing of an efficient actuator are extended. Then Strategic Planning for design of a magnetorquer is expanded. At the end driver and demagnetization circuits are presented and the research magnetorquer with its participant circuits are discussed.