VIBES: Visionary Ingenuity Boosting European Spacecraft. Managing Micro Vibrations for the Future of Spaceflight

Abstract

Micro vibrations are mechanical oscillations caused by components such as the reaction wheels of an attitude control system of a spacecraft. These micro vibrations are transferred through the structure of the spacecraft onto important instruments (e.g., optical instruments), causing those to produce diminished results (e.g., reduced image quality, imprecise geolocation, co-registration of image points). At the present state, micro vibrations in spacecraft cannot be actively controlled because their very high frequencies of up to 1000 Hz are above the control bandwidth a current attitude control system can provide. However, being able to reduce the effects of micro vibrations on a space mission is becoming increasingly more critical as the envelope of future optical satellite missions expands. Furthermore, the advancements made in the performance of small satellites as well as the growing interest in laser and quantum communication call for a costefficient and modern solution for managing micro vibrations. This is what the team of the VIBES project is currently working on: at the Institute of Aerospace Technologies (IAT) of the City University of Applied Sciences Bremen in collaboration with DLR and OHB System a testbed is being set-up on which the different sensors for the measurement of micro vibrations as well as passive and active control systems can be tested and compared. The eventual goal is to develop different systems that are capable of actively managing the micro vibrations in a small spacecraft.