Generalized Attitude Determination and Control System¶

GitHub repository: nscheuer/Generalized_ADCS

A Python-first framework for simulating spacecraft attitude dynamics, estimation, and control in orbit.

Generalized ADCS is designed for aerospace students, researchers, and engineers who want a flexible, transparent ADCS simulation environment without black-box solvers.

Latest Release Notes¶

Update 0.1.8

Generalized ACS Pipeline

Use smart actuator selection, torque compensation, control law transformation and goal selection to maximize the performance of your control law.

Explore update 0.1.8

Update 0.1.7

Benchmark

New performance benchmarks run on every pull request into main and compare results to catch regressions early.

Explore release note 0.1.7

Update 0.1.6

Remote Execution

Selected ADCS components can run on a Raspberry Pi over XML-RPC while the main PC keeps the truth model and simulation loop local.

Explore release note 0.1.6

What you can do with Generalized ADCS¶

Simulate rigid-body spacecraft attitude dynamics
Combine reaction wheels, magnetorquers, and sensors
Implement and test custom controllers and estimators
Run closed-loop simulations using orbital states
Visualize pointing performance and control effort

Spacecraft states use ADCS.State, with named w, q, and h arrays. Estimator inputs and outputs use ADCS.EstimatorState, which adds named bias and disturbance parameters plus covariance matrices. Use from_array and as_array only at numerical-library boundaries; state objects intentionally do not support NumPy indexing or implicit conversion.

import ADCS as ADCS
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

acts = [ADCS.RW(axis=np.array([1, 0, 0]), max_torque=0.0023, J=5.7e-6, h=0.0, h_max=0.0036)]
acts += [ADCS.MTQ(axis, max_torque=0.2) for axis in np.eye(3)]
sens = [ADCS.MTM(axis) for axis in np.eye(3)]

satellite = ADCS.Satellite(mass=10, J_0=np.diag([0.03, 0.03, 0.01]), actuators=acts, sensors=sens, boresight=np.array([0, 0, 1]))
x_0 = ADCS.State.from_array(np.array([0.01, -0.02, 0.01] + [1, 0, 0, 0] + [0.0]))  # w, q, h

controller = ADCS.controller.MTQ_w_RW_LP(est_sat=satellite, p_gain=0.00005, d_gain=0.002, c_gain=0.001, h_target=np.array([0, 0, 0]))

goal = ADCS.goals.Coordinate_Goal(lat=42.36, lon=-71.06, alt=0)
os0 = ADCS.Orbital_State(ephem=ADCS.Ephemeris(),J2000=0.22, R=np.array([5000, 0, 5000]), V=np.array([0, 7.5, 0]))

results = ADCS.simulate(
   x=x_0,
   satellite=satellite,
   controller=controller,
   goal=goal,
   os0=os0,
   dt=1.0,
   tf=500.0
)

ADCS.plot(
   results,
   ADCS.plots.AnimationPlot(goal=goal),
   layout=(1,1),
   title="Underactuated Control Animation",
)

plt.show()

Simulation of a satellite in orbit with a ground pointing target.

Getting Started

Function Documentation

ADCS package

Contributing