Magnetic Torquers Actuated Satellite Attitude Control Using Linear Parameter Varying Techniques

Abstract In this paper, an H∞ gain scheduling algorithm is proposed to solve a nadir-pointing problem of a small satellite using magnetic torquer actuators only. The time-varying nature of the Earth's geomagnetic field is leveraged, and its measurements can be used to define the scheduling parameters for the synthesis of a linear parameter varying gain scheduling (LPVGS) controller and the design of linear parameter varying (LPV) attitude model of the satellite driven with magnetic torquers. The developed algorithm performs well under the time changing magnetic field and allows the stabilization of the closed-loop satellite system in the presence of external disturbances. Since the stability for the H∞ LPV model is ensured by design, all the simulations presented in this paper are performed using the nonlinear equations of the satellite.