Magnetic orientation system for nano- and microsatellites with flat magnetic coil with core
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- RU · RU
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FEDERAL STATE AUTONOMOUS EDUCATIONAL INSTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SAMARA NAT RES UNIV NAMED AFTER ACADEMICIAN S P KOROLEV SAMARA UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing magnetic orientation systems for nano- and microsatellites face challenges with increased energy consumption, system complexity, and limited magnetic moment, which can be insufficient during strong disturbances, while also occupying valuable internal space and complicating design.
The magnetic coils with flat cores are positioned along the longitudinal and transverse axes of the satellite outside the internal space, allowing for efficient use of available space and reducing power consumption by integrating them under solar panels or in the side panel without protruding more than 6.5 mm, thus enabling pitch, roll, and yaw control.
This arrangement enhances the magnetic orientation system's efficiency by reducing power consumption and freeing up internal volume for other systems, while maintaining functionality and reliability.
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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to the field of space engineering, namely to magnetic orientation systems for nano- and microsatellites.
[0002] Magnetic systems are widely used for small spacecraft orientation due to their readily available and inexpensive components, high precision, and simplicity. Control is achieved through the interaction of the magnetic field generated by the coil with the Earth's magnetic field. Such systems are ideal for damping the initial angular velocity of the spacecraft after it has entered orbit and for maintaining orientation during flight.
[0003] The paper "Design of Attitude Control Systems for CubeSat-Class Nanosatellites" (Mughal MR, Ali H., Ali A., Praks J., Reyneri LM Optimized Design and Thermal Analysis of Printed Magnetorquer for Attitude Control of Reconfigurable Nanosatellites / / IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems. - 2020. - Vol. 56, No. 1. - P. 736–747. - DOI: 10.1109 / TAES.2019.2933959) describes a hybrid control system consisting of magnetic coils and flywheels. This approach increases accuracy, but also increases system complexity, weight, and power consumption.
[0004] In the magnetic orientation system proposed by ISIS space (iMTQ Magnetorquer Board [Electronic resource] / / SmallSat Catalog. URL: https: / / catalog.orbitaltransports.com / imtq-isis-magnetorquer-board / / (date of access: 08.11.2025)) two coils with a core are located on the board. The third coil does not have a core, since it is located along the longitudinal axis of the satellite, as a result of which the energy consumption increases significantly.
[0005] One of the popular trends in the production of nanosatellite attitude control systems is the use of embedded printed magnetic coils. For example, those described in this (Li J., Post MA, Wright T., Lee R. Design of attitude control systems for cubesat-class nanosatellite / / Journal of Control Science and Engineering. - 2013. - Article ID 657182. - 15 p. - DOI: 10.1155 / 2013 / 657182.) and this paper (Khan SA, Ali A., Shiyou Y., Fahad S., Tong J. Optimized Design and Analysis of Printed Magnetorquer for a 3-U Nano-Satellite / / Journal of Aerospace Engineering. - 2022.). Such systems save space and weight, while reducing cost and simplifying assembly. The main disadvantage is the limited magnetic moment, which may be insufficient in cases of strong disturbances that may occur when launching the device into orbit.
[0006] Patent RU2823985C1 (Patent RU 2823985 C1. Magnetic orientation system for nano- and microsatellites / I. V. Belokonov, A. V. Ivliev, A. A. Kumarin; applicant and patent holder Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education "Samara National Research University named after Academician S. P. Korolev" - No. 2023130442; declared 21.11.2023; published 31.07.2024 / / Bulletin No. 22) proposes placing coils in tubular external elements, which allows preserving the internal space of the satellite, but complicates the design.
[0007] The objective of the invention is to enable the placement of magnetic attitude control system devices on nano- and microsatellites by installing the proposed actuator under solar panels or in the free space of the side panel of the spacecraft. The CubeSat Design Specification (CubeSat Design Specification (CDS). - Rev. 13. - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2015. - P. 11.) allows a protrusion of no more than 6.5 mm from the plane of the rail perpendicular to the surface. By moving the side panel away by this distance, it is possible to obtain additional free space. By manufacturing a magnetic coil with a flat, rather than a round, core, it becomes possible to place it in this space. Thus, it becomes possible to place a magnetic coil with a core along the longitudinal or transverse axis of the nanosatellite, preserving the internal space of the nanosatellite.The presence of the core also reduces the onboard electrical power consumption required for the proposed attitude control system. The absence of external components increases the system's reliability.
[0008] The technical result of the invention is to increase the efficiency of the active magnetic orientation system by saving on-board electrical energy while maintaining the main functions of the system, as well as to increase the functionality of the nanosatellite by freeing up additional volume inside it for placing other service systems.
[0009] The technical result is achieved due to the fact that in the magnetic orientation system of nano- and microsatellites, the actuators of the magnetic orientation system are located outside the internal space of the satellite along the longitudinal and transverse axes of the structural coordinate system of the nanosatellite.
[0010] This arrangement allows for the use of more efficient core coils for all orthogonal directions, reducing the power consumption of the onboard power supply system, and freeing up space within the volume of nano- and microsatellites for the placement of other service systems.
[0011] A possible location of the magnetic coil is shown in Fig. 1, where 1 is the housing in which the flat magnetic coil is located, 2 is the side panel of the satellite.
[0012] Inside housing 1 is a magnetic orientation system consisting of a coil and a core made of soft magnetic material. A sufficient number of such devices must be installed, for example, to provide pitch, roll, and yaw control. Placing such a coil under the solar panels does not interfere with their operation and, conversely, rationally utilizes the available space without reducing the panels' efficiency. Control of the magnetic orientation system devices (around the center of mass) of nano- and microsatellites is also performed using known algorithms.
[0013] The proposed device can be constructed, for example, as follows. The manufactured actuator, a coil with a soft magnetic core of the required size, is mounted on the outer side of the nanosatellite. The coil's leads are routed into the nano- or microsatellite and connected to the control device via a cable network. Solar panels are mounted on top of the actuator via a spacer.
[0014] The invention makes it possible to place an actuator for a magnetic attitude control system on nano- and microsatellites, free up space inside the body of nano- and microsatellites for placing other service systems, and reduce the consumption of electricity from the on-board network.