Experimental verification and comparison of fuzzy and PID controllers for attitude control of nanosatellites

• Published in: Advances in space research Vol. 71; no. 9; pp. 3613 - 3630
• Main Authors: Bello, A., Olfe, K.S., Rodríguez, J., Ezquerro, J.M., Lapuerta, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2023
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Attitude control; Fuzzy logic; Nanosatellites; Fuzzy logic; Attitude control; Nanosatellites; Artificial intelligence
• ISSN: 0273-1177; 1879-1948
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2022.05.055

•Experimental comparison on ground of Fuzzy and PID attitude controllers for nanosatellites.•The fuzzy controller provides advantages in energy and convergence time.•Their lower energy consumption makes fuzzy controllers more suitable for nanosatellite missions. Modern control algorithms based on artificial intelligence have shown good results in many application fields. That is why some researchers have made an effort to introduce them in the attitude control of satellites by computing their performance in simulated scenarios. However, there is a lack of experimental data due to the cost and inherent risk of testing new attitude control algorithms on board a real satellite. In this work, a laboratory nanosatellite and its testing system have been used to experimentally compare the performance of a fuzzy logic controller, a classical Proportional Integral and Derivative (PID) controller and a modified PID. Comparisons have been drawn in terms of energy consumption, convergence time, accuracy (steady state error) and robustness (with respect to variations in the external conditions). In line with previous numerical studies, the results suggest significant improvements in energy consumption, convergence time and robustness by using a fuzzy controller instead of a PID.