Spacecraft Attitude Control
Spacecraft Attitude Control is a branch of aerospace engineering that deals with the orientation of a spacecraft in relation to its environment or a celestial body, and the management of its rotation. The attitude of a spacecraft is its angular position and orientation in space, which is usually defined in relation to a reference coordinate system. The control of this attitude is necessary for the accurate positioning of onboard instruments, antennas, solar panels, and thrusters. The spacecraft's attitude can be controlled using various methods, including reaction wheels, control moment gyroscopes, thrusters, and magnetic torquers. The choice of method depends on the mission requirements, the spacecraft's design, and its operational environment. The process of attitude control involves sensing the spacecraft's current attitude, comparing it with the desired attitude, and applying the necessary control torques to minimize the difference. This is typically achieved through a feedback control loop, which uses sensors to measure the spacecraft's attitude and actuators to apply the control torques.
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