Experiment research for satellites' multi-axis pointing attitude control

Multi-axis pointing control is a key issue for multi-body satellites with large flexible solar panels and antenna. This paper designed a forward and variable structure scheme to control the attitude of the satellite body, the antenna pointing was decided by the attitude of the satellite body, to achieve multi-axis pointing control goal. A simple control algorithm was designed according to the 'wheel-thruster' actuator mode, considering control precision and gas consumption. On a physical testbed composed by a single axis air bearing table, flexible appendages and an antenna, the physical simulation experiments for multi-axis pointing control were successfully carried out. The precision of the satellite body attitude is within 0.02°, the precision of the antenna pointing is within 0.5°. This has important value for the control of multi-axis satellites.