Description and simulation of an integrated power and attitude control system concept for space-vehicle application

An Integrated Power and Attitude Control System (IPACS) concept with potential application to a broad class of space missions is discussed. A description is given of the basic concept of combining the onboard energy storage and attitude control functions by storing energy in spinning flywheels which are used to provide control torques. A shuttle-launched Research and Applications Module (RAM) A303B solar-observatory mission having stringent pointing requirements (1.0 arc second) is selected to investigate possible interactions between energy storage and attitude control. A simulation of this spacecraft involving actual laboratory-model control-system hardware is presented. Simulation results are discussed which indicate that the IPACS concept, even in a failure-mode configuration, can readily meet the RAM A303B pointing requirements.