Error Analysis of Reaction Wheel Speed Detection Methods

Reaction wheel is one of the actuators for spacecraft attitude control, which generates torque by changing an inertial rotor speed inside of the wheel. In order to generate required torque accurately and estimate an accurate angular momentum, wheel speed should be measured as close to the actual speed as possible. In this study, two conventional speed detection methods for high speed motor with digital tacho pulse (Elapsed-time method and Pulse-count method) and their resolutions are analyzed. For satellite attitude maneuvering and control, reaction wheel shall be operated in bi directional and low speed operation is sometimes needed for emergency case. Thus the bias error at low speed with constant acceleration (or deceleration) is also analysed. As a result, the speed detection error of elapsed-time method is largely influenced upon the high-speed clock frequency at high speed and largely effected on the number of tacho pulses used in elapsed time calculation at low speed, respectively.