Ferrofluid flywheel

Orientation in space

It’s very important for nanosatellites to be well-oriented in space, because of the fact, that it collects the energy from the sunlight, thanks to the solar panels. Such things as comunication with Earth, taking photos from orbit or carrying out the experiment demands stabilization and position control. The ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control System) algorithm is based on the coil system which generates magnetic field and mechanical flywheel.

EXPERIMENT

We suggest a completely new way of controlling a sattelite on orbit: ferrofluid flywheel.

A torus, surrounded by eight electromagnets, and placed inside a ferrofluid is a main part of our experiment. By changing magnetic field, we accelerate the ferrofluid, causing its spinning motion. The result of this movement should be the rotation of the satellite in the opposite direction.

Our system could be an effective way to stabilize satellites and precisely control them in orbit. Due to the low cost of such a solution, its simplicity and reliability, a ferrofluid flywheel could be a competitive technology for those currently in use and revolutionize the global space industry.