Ing. Dominik Beňo

This paper presents the overview of attitude control challenges for Cubesat missions with stringent pointing requirements and operational constraints. Survey of recent Cubesat attitude control applications is provided, followed by introduction of typical models needed for Cubesat attitude control problem formulation. Robustness to parametric uncertainty, disturbance rejection, constraints handling, and computational effort are the main identified control challenges. Three control design approaches, robust pole placement, H∞ design, and model predictive control are discussed with respect to the main challenges. Along with a traditional controller, each controller ability to cope with the given challenge is evaluated. Future research direction of attitude control formulation for two primary spacecraft operational modes, precise attitude tracking and attitude maneuvering, is justified.

The current era of electrification of the aerospace industry brings many challenges, but also brings forward radically new aircraft designs. The new eVTOL and eSTOL concepts were enabled by the distributed electric propulsion. Even though eVTOL and eSTOL projects are gaining a lot of attention, another concept is also notable. The so-called High-Lift propulsion is based on the increase of airflow over the wing, thus reducing landing speed. Most notable example is NASA’s X-57 Maxwell. However, this concept can be used to control the aircraft as well. This paper introduces new approach of aircraft control using distributed High-Lift propulsion concept. The controller uses differential thrust to completely control the aircraft states and therefore eliminates the need for traditional control surfaces.