Scientists from Samara University have developed a new software algorithm for small spacecraft that simplifies motion control during emergency situations, enabling satellites to continue operating reliably even under severely degraded conditions—much like "driving on deflated tires." The results were published in the journal "Mechatronics, Automation, Control".
Small spacecraft (SmallSats) are widely used for studying near-Earth space, which requires precise control of their angular motion, explained Andrey Kramlikh, Associate Professor at the Inter-University Department of Space Research of Samara University.
Due to strict size constraints, small spacecraft cannot carry spare components or redundant systems. However, component wear during operation or unforeseen events may disable or partially damage the control system, potentially jeopardizing the entire space mission, the specialist noted.
Researchers of Samara University have developed new methods for controlling the angular motion of small spacecraft under conditions of severe system degradation.
"Imagine driving a car with two or three nearly flat tires. You can't stop, and you have no spare tires. In that case, you would need to drive more slowly and steer much more actively—the control mode would differ significantly from normal driving. Now imagine a similar situation occurring with an unmanned spacecraft. In that case, the control algorithm for such an emergency scenario must be pre-programmed into the autopilot's 'brain,” explained the researcher.
Typically, spacecraft service life is extended by installing onboard backup systems—essentially "spare tires"—but these reduce the spacecraft's useful payload capacity, the scientist added.
Another possible solution involves implementing complex control software. However, such programs require tuning a larger number of parameters compared to the newly proposed algorithm, making them more difficult to adapt across different spacecraft platforms, university representatives explained.
The new program is device-independent and universal—it can be adapted for use on any small spacecraft, emphasized Kramlikh.
"The trade-off for maintaining control of a degraded spacecraft is a threefold increase in maneuver execution time. Nevertheless, the algorithm enables continued attitude control even when mechanism integrity drops to just five percent of its original value," clarified Kramlikh.
In the future, Samara University researchers plan to develop additional software solutions to maintain spacecraft control under other types of system failures.
The study was carried out with support from the Russian Science Foundation.
Source: ria.ru
