Review and feasibility of active attitude control and detumbling for the UoMBSat-1 PocketQube pico-satellite

The CubeSat form factor was very successful at reducing development and launch costs for spacecraft. The PocketQube (PQ) - one eighth the size of a CubeSat - aims to further reduce these costs. However, the question remains on whether it is feasible to implement a fully-featured satellite within the far tighter constraints imposed by a PQ. This paper explores the implications of including a 3-axis attitude determination and control system with provisions for desaturation and detumbling within the confines of a PQ. The hardware technology available is outlined and the applicable control laws and techniques are reviewed. This paper presents the approach that is actually being adopted in the development of the UoMBSat-1 picosatellite at the University of Malta.