Adaptive Controller Approach for a Three-Axis Helmholtz Magnetic Test-Bed to Test Detumbling Simulations in the GWSAT Satellite

The paper introduces the design and simulation of the IS501NMTB magnetic test-bed, which utilizes three Helmholtz coils controlled by three independent ITECH IT6433 DC power sources and a MAG649L magnetometer. The goal is to perform in-the-loop simulations to test detumbling and nadir-pointing attitude control algorithms for the GWSAT mission, as well as to assess the capability of the IS501NMTB to characterize the magnetic dipole of small satellites using perturbation observers. A mathematical model based on RL circuits and the Biot–Savart law is employed and validated with experimental data measured in 2021 and 2024, demonstrating parameter variations over time. Additionally, closed-loop PID, adaptive PID, and MRAC control algorithms were tested for canceling Earth’s magnetic field and simulating Earth’s magnetic field at the GWSAT orbit using the IGRF-13 model. The results obtained from these simulations are analyzed and compared using error integration and control integration metrics to determine whether the use of adaptive controllers is advantageous in this application.