:orphan:

.. _ssc26-paper:

.. include:: _analytics.txt

==================
SSC26 · The paper
==================

**Generalized Attitude Control for Small Spacecraft**

Patrick McKeen\ :sup:`1`, Niclas Scheuer\ :sup:`2`, Kerri Cahoy\ :sup:`1`

:sup:`1` MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics ·
:sup:`2` ETH Zürich Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering

Paper **SSC26-P2-54**, 40th Annual Small Satellite Conference, Salt Lake City UT,
August 2026.

Read it
=======

.. TODO(ssc26): the proceedings PDF is not posted until the conference. Replace
   this block with the direct link once it exists. This page is the QR target
   precisely so that can be done without reprinting the poster.

The proceedings PDF is posted by the conference. Until then:

- **Digital Commons** (SmallSat proceedings) — https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/
- **Ask the authors** — :doc:`contact`, or pmckeen@mit.edu

Abstract
========

Many classical attitude-control designs assume unconstrained torque or are
developed for a fixed actuator set, requiring redesign for each new spacecraft
and its goals. We present a framework that treats the control law as a black
box and places goal formulation, compensation, torque allocation, and momentum
management in a common adapter around it, so a law from the literature can be
adapted across heterogeneous and underactuated actuator sets without
reimplementation.

Before any simulation, a controllability analysis screens whether a given
actuator set can meet a goal. Over a full orbit the geomagnetic field sweeps
the magnetorquer torque envelope through all three axes, so magnetorquers alone
are controllable for full attitude in the orbit-averaged sense. Reduced-attitude
objectives such as camera-boresight pointing relax the requirement further.

The framework is validated in 100-trial Monte Carlo campaigns across
configurations from magnetorquer-only to three-wheel, including the 3MTQ+1RW
hybrid. Because goal, law, and allocation are separated, a shortfall can be
charged to hardware geometry, control law, or allocator strategy rather than to
the controller as a whole.

Cite it
=======

.. code-block:: bibtex

   @inproceedings{mckeen2026generalized,
     title     = {Generalized Attitude Control for Small Spacecraft},
     author    = {McKeen, Patrick and Scheuer, Niclas and Cahoy, Kerri},
     booktitle = {Proceedings of the 40th Annual Small Satellite Conference},
     number    = {SSC26-P2-54},
     year      = {2026},
     address   = {Salt Lake City, UT},
   }

Also on the poster
==================

- :doc:`index` — what the adapter is, and the code
- :doc:`run` — run it in your browser
- :doc:`code` — the repository