3 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture Upper Division
The course covers the fundamentals, basic techniques, and concepts of attitude determination and control based on first principles. Those fundamentals are subsequently applied to the attitude problem of a spacecraft on orbit. The course includes knowledge, modeling and understanding of on-board sensors and actuators, their outputs and error profiles, and the static attitude determination methods from those. Furthermore, the methods of dynamic attitude determination methods are taught. Different types of control methods and controller designs are introduced, compared and evaluated.
Learning Outcomes1Have a fundamental understanding of the challenges, limitations and requirements of on-board real-time attitude determination and control in a full six degree of freedom environment.
2Be aware of the design space of on-board sensors and actuators, the various error involved in both, and how to answer those in the attitude determination and controller design.
3Have expanded their capabilities to present and communicate technical content.
Prerequisites
Restrictions
made by Purdue students.