GNC stands for Guidance, Navigation, and Control. This subsystem is responsible for determining the orientation of the spacecraft in orbit and controlling that orientation. The subsystem ensures the spacecraft stays on its orbital path in order to provide its intended services. GNC also provides attitude control, helping with the mitigation of tumbling in space as well as ensuring our antennas are always pointed to our ground station on Earth.
GN&C capabilities:
- Mission planning
- Dynamics Simulations
- Guidance of all mission phases
- Navigation: system architecture trade studies, sensor selection, filter development
- Control: algorithms, stability analyses, controller design, modeling, and simulation
- Sensor hardware development
- Closed loop calibration, testing, and qualification
Applied Skills & Interests
- Designing and analyzing satellite attitude determination and control systems
- Flexible body control, orbital maneuvering, filtering, fault management, software development, and navigation filtering
- Strong understanding of classical dynamics, orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation, and software development
Component Specifications
iMTQ Magnetorquer Board
- Used for RS-1 detumbling and magnetic attitude control
- Reaction wheel desaturation
- Three-axis magnetometer
- Three actuators; two torque rods and one air core torque