CubeSat Simulation

Modified on Mon, 2 Oct, 2023 at 2:13 PM

The CubeSatSimulation script demonstrates CubeSat attitude and power system dynamics. This includes the RHSCubeSat dynamics function, the CubeSatAero and CubeSatRadiationPressure disturbance functions, SolarFluxPrediction and BDipole for generating the space environment, and GroundTrack and AnimQ for plotting. This demo uses the 1970 Jacchia atmosphere model via AtmJ70. This video shows the demo in action:

Here's the function help from the demo:

>> help CubeSatSimulation
  Demonstrate a CubeSat attitude and power system dynamics.
  This simulation includes drag and radiation pressure. The only actuator 
  available for attitude is magnetic torquers, which is modeled as a 
  dipole. Performs an animation at the end which may take a few minutes.
  The satellite is initialized pointing to the Earth with a rotation equal
  to orbit rate, to nominally maintain that pointing. The z body axis is
  pointed towards the Earth (nadir).
 
  Things to try:
    1. Turn surface disturbances off by uncommenting the line setting
       d.surfData to empty; notice that the altitude no longer drops.
    2. Initialize the battery charge b0 to zero
    3. Comment out or change the fixed dipole in the for loop
    4. Try a 1U instead of a 3U

Module: CubeSat/Simulation

Children: RHSCubeSat, CubeSatAero, CubeSatRadiationPressure

Published demo: CubeSatSimulation.m