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Attitude Determination Control System and Magnetics Validation for Small-Sats

About

Magnetic Precision In Nano-Sats

For CubeSats and NanoSats, the magnetic environment is both a tool for orientation and a source of potential interference. EMTECH provides a cost-effective, high-fidelity validation ecosystem to ensure your Attitude Determination & Control System (ADCS) performs reliably in the harsh magnetic landscape of Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Helmholtz Coil Facility

We have developed our own in-house Helmholtz Coil Facility. The facility is not only suitable for magnetic cleanliness tasks like EUT (Equipment Under Test) magnetic field measurement and modelling but also for nanosat ADCS validation/calibration. It is a specialized, integrated testbed designed for the comprehensive validation of Attitude Determination and Control Systems, specifically optimized for the New Space sector, enabling high-fidelity Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, and ensuring that small satellite achieve their mission-critical pointing requirements.

Validation Services

ADCS Tests

We provide functional HiL verification of pointing accuracy and operational modes via dynamic simulations and magnetorquer characterization to ensure system-level control reliability.

Magnetic Cleanliness Tests

We perform ultra-accurate signature modeling and ambient field cancellation ensuring ECSS compliance through unit and system-level perm, de-perm testing.

Mechanical Tests

We provide high-precision characterization of physical properties, including exact measurements of the Center of Mass and Moment of Inertia. These data products are essential for flight stability.

Innovation

Technical Integration

Unlike competitors that offer isolated components, Emtech provides a fully integrated ecosystem. The facility features a high-precision Helmholtz cage for magnetic field simulation, air-bearing tables for frictionless motion emulation, and solar simulation tools. This allows developers to test sensors and actuators in a representative space environment before launch. We offer a “turnkey” solution tailored for CubeSat and SmallSat developers, bridging the gap between academic research labs and complex institutional infrastructure with an agile, commercially-ready integrated system.

The Facility

Control modes are validated using air bearings for frictionless 3DOF simulation. Our automated Python-based framework enables scripted testing and rapid verification of control software iterations.

We utilize dual fluxgate magnetometers with custom 3D-printed adapters and ArUco tags for precise alignment. Proprietary software models DC, DC-induced, and ELF AC transient fields.

We employ physical sun simulators and moving platforms synchronized with software models. Residual magnetization is managed via a retractable coil system using ECSS-standard waveforms to ensure hardware stability.

Mission Validation

Successfully executed crucial magnetic cleanliness procedures for the three satellites of the ERMIS mission.

Our facility is currently being utilized as the primary validation ground for our own upcoming mission, Hellenic Space Dawn.