Design and Implementation of an Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem testbed for up to 12-U CubeSat

This paper presents the design of testbed for the attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) of CubeSats. The design of the testbed will be manufactured and tested to ensure its ability to test the CubeSat's attitude control accurately. The Helmholtz cage is designed, built, and tested to provide a dynamic, 3-axis, uniform magnetic field to cancel the Earth's magnetic field and create an environment similar to the geomagnetic field. Also, to eliminate the unwanted magnetic fields in any test item. Removing any ferrous materials inside the cage during testing is essential to ensure a uniform magnetic field. Even though CubeSats are generally affordable, one failure in orbit is quite costly in terms of money and time owing to the payload's preparation and launch. A ground testing system for CubeSat's ADCS is required to prevent mission failures. Based on our intensive research, UAE lacks ADCS testing facilities. CubeSat attitude determination and control simulation and testing platform must be constructed in UAE to test and verify ADCS performance before launch. Pre-launch ADCS testing would fix attitude stability difficulties after launch. Therefore, our proposed project aims to develop low-cost hardware and software for testing Nanosatellite/CubeSat attitude control systems. The experimental testbed can simulate the space environment, including the sun, geomagnetic field, and orbital disturbances. The ADCS maintains the precision and mechanical stability of satellite pointing. It is one of the most complex satellite subsystems due to its sensor, actuator, computer, and software components. It also involves space simulation and ADCS algorithm testingThis paper presents the design of testbed for the ADCS of CubeSats. The design of the testbed will be manufactured and tested to ensure its ability to test the CubeSat's attitude control accurately.