Air-bearing platforms for Satellite Attitude Simulations literature review

List of search terms

Air-bearing attitude
Air-bearing attitude frictionless satellite
spacecraft simulator air bearing
frictionless attitude simulator

List of references

G. Allan Smith, "DYNAMIC SIMULATORS FOR TEST OF SPACE VEHICLE ATTITUDE CONTROL SYSTEMS", NASA - Langley Research Center, 1964

overview in the early era of space technology
basic equations of physical models and lists several relevant physical effects

Richard Boynton, "Using A Spherical Air Bearing To Simulate Weightlessness", 55th Annual Conference of the Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Inc., 1996

contains comparison with drop tests
written in a pretty informal way, also makes some bold statements without elaboration
no references
in a way, this is a product presentation for Space Electronics Inc.
precision and tolerances info can be useful, though maybe their importance is a bit inflated

B. Kim, E. Velenis, P. Kriengsiri, and P. Tsiotras, “A spacecraft simulator for research and education”, in Proceedings of the AIAA/AAS astrodynamics specialists conference, 897–914, 2001

detailed explanation of one system
lists MOI identification methods and shows one in use, with good equation derivations
characterization of reaction wheels included
some info about filtering

Jana L. Schwartz, Mason A. Peck, Christopher D. Hall, "Historical Review of Air-Bearing Spacecraft Simulators", Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 26(4), 513-522, 2003

historical survey
linear, rotational, hybrid and manned simulators
good to see range of capabilities for various platforms

Cho S, Shen J, Mcclamroch NH. "Mathematical Models for the Triaxial Attitude Control Testbed", Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems. 9(2), 165–92, 2003

plenty of equations for various cases

Jung D, Tsiotras P, "A 3-DoF Experimental Test-Bed for Integrated Attitude Dynamics and Control Research", 2003

similar to (Kim 2001)
detailed model of RW
more estiamtion of MOI

Schwartz JL, Hall CD. "The distributed spacecraft attitude control system simulator: development, progress, plans" NASA Space Flight Mechanics Symposium, Greenbelt, MD, 2003

presents two types of platform setups, using bases from space electronics
software libraries shortly mentioned
lists a number of experiments planned to be done with it

Schwartz JL, Hall CD. "System identification of a spherical air-bearing spacecraft simulator", AAS Paper 122, 2004

same system as in (Schwartz 2003)
system equations
three methods of MOI identification presented
analysis of methods performance and how they are affected by noises

Prado J, Bisiacchi G, Reyes L, Vicente E, Contreras F, Mesinas M, et al, "[www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/jart/v3n3/v3n3a6.pdf Three-axis air-bearing based platform for small satellite attitude determination and control simulation]", Journal of Applied Research and Technology, 3(3), 222–237, 2005

gives overview of another air-bearing setup, dimensions included
two MOI estimation methods described

Kim JJ, Agrawal BN. "Automatic Mass Balancing of Air-Bearing-Based Three-Axis Rotational Spacecraft Simulator", Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 32(3), 1005–1017, 2009

estimation of COG
platform equipped with mass balancer, that can automatically readjust COG if satellite structure permits its dislocation

Rossini L, Onillon E, Chetelat O, Allegranza C. "Electromagnetic force simulations on a reaction sphere for satellite attitude control", COMSOL Conference, 2010

alternative to air-bearing
can be interesting for a contrast

Gallardo, D., Bevilacqua, R., Rasmussen, R., "Advances on a 6 Degrees of Freedom Testbed for Autonomous Satellites Operations", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2011

presents a platform with 6 DOF, where even the translational vertical is frictionless

Ustrzycki, Tyler, Regina Lee, and Hugh Chesser, “Spherical Air Bearing Attitude Control Simulator for Nanosatellites”, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2011

3 DOF platform that supports mounting of the CubeSats
manual COG balancing

Woo, Hyunwook, Octavio Rico, Simone Chesi, and Marcello Romano, “CubeSat Three Axis Simulator(CubeTAS)”, AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference. Guidance, Navigation, and Control and Co-Located Conferences. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2011

small platform for CubeSats, but actually not having a CubeSat
automatic COG balancing
helmholtz coils

Gavrilovich, Irina, Sébastien Krut, Marc Gouttefarde, François Pierrot, and Laurent Dusseau, “Test Bench For Nanosatellite Attitude Determination And Control System Ground Tests”, Small Satellites Systems and Services Symposium, 2014

two CubeSat frictionless platform ideas quite different than in other older articles
one is without air-bearing, but introduces automatic torque compensation, with nice analysis of its performance
second gives a radical approach, with a minimal satellite container, which in theory provides full 3 DOF and minimal parasitic MOI additions, however it seems to be very challenging to realize in practice

Kwan, T. H., K. M. B. Lee, J. Yan, and X. Wu, “An Air Bearing Table for Satellite Attitude Control Simulation”, IEEE 10th Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications (ICIEA), 1420–1425, 2015

gives overview of a platform meant for CubeSats with automatic balancing
design aspects similar to those in early articles, but with smaller dimensions
uses UKF for MOI and CG estimation

Gavrilovich, Irina, Sébastien Krut, Marc Gouttefarde, François Pierrot, and Laurent Dusseau, “INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO USE AIR BEARINGS IN CUBESAT GROUND TESTS”, Small Satellites, System & Services (4S) Symposium 2016, 2016

contains mathematical model and simulation results of the second idea from (Gavrilovich 2014)
one air bearing element has been equipped with the spring as well
contains air bearing stiffness model

Culton, Eryn, and King, “Design and Development of an Unrestricted Satellite Motion Simulator” 31 st Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, 2017

full spherical platform for CubeSats
interesting approach with porous static part of air bearing, instead of regular that have only several outlets
automatic COG and MOI calibrations, possibility to simulate big range of MOI configurations with moveable weights and applying scaling factors to the output control
imprecise manufacturing prevented unrestricted motion
one of the goals was to provide cost effective solution

Sternberg, David C., Christopher Pong, Nuno Filipe, Swati Mohan, Shawn Johnson, and Laura Jones-Wilson, “Jet Propulsion Laboratory Small Satellite Dynamics Testbed Simulation: On-Orbit Performance Model Validation”, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 1–13, 2017

presents a 6 DOF platform
includes analysis of air bearing frictions, Couette dissipation

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