High-Precision Magnetic Testbed Design and Simulation for LEO Small-Satellite Control Test

Abstract

Small satellites with academic missions in low Earth orbit (LEO) employ magnetic attitude control systems primarily due to their ease of development and low cost. These systems utilize magnetorquers to generate a magnetic moment that interacts with Earth’s magnetic field, enabling controlled rotation of the satellite around its three axes. The successful execution of these satellite missions relies heavily on rigorous magnetic testing conducted on the Attitude Determination and Control (ADC) subsystem. Hence, the design of a magnetic field simulator that enables precise testing is of utmost importance. This paper presents a comprehensive study, analysis, and verification of the construction of a magnetic testbed capable of accurately reproducing terrestrial magnetic fields in low Earth orbits. The research was conducted in four stages. Firstly, Matlab/Simulink software was employed to predict the satellite’s orbit and the corresponding Earth’s magnetic field affecting it. Secondly, the three-axis magnetic testbed was simulated using Ansys Maxwell software to validate its technical characteristics. In the third stage, based on the previous data, the testbed was assembled and integrated into a university laboratory. Finally, calibration, testing, and verification of the testbed’s results were performed while reproducing Earth’s magnetic field from the satellite’s orbit. The final outcome was a flexible testbed design with the results exhibiting a precision exceeding 99.89%. This confirms that the magnetic testbed reliably generates results during small-satellite magnetic control tests.