The ConSat project started in 1997 and is supported by the PRAXIS XXI Programme (ref. PRAXIS/3/3.1/CTAE/1942/95)to study attitude estimation and control techniques applied to small satellites.

The project staff is divided among two different partners: Instituto Superior Técnico (more precisely, at the Institute for Systems and Robotics located at IST) and Departament of Aeroespace Sciences of Universidade da Beira Interior.

The group at ISR/IST is mainly interested in Attitude Estimation and Control while the group at UBI focuses on Satellite Dynamics. These pages summarize the on-going project at ISR/IST.

The Project Tasks here at ISR/IST are:

1. To build a satellite simulator, complete with sensors (and sensor environment) and actuators.

2. Determine and simulate an attitude estimation algorithm



3. Implement diferent control methodologies:
• Simple cross-product algorithms
• Sliding mode control
• Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR)
• ...


4. Test and compare by simulation the implemented control methodologies
• This phase will benefit from our links with other ADC groups such as Surrey University / SSTL and Aalborg University / Satlab


5. Implement and monitor a new control algorithm in a in-flight system