Rapid Performance Sizing of Reaction Wheels in a Very High Resolution Remote Sensing Satellite Using Matching Diagram Technique

Very High Resolution Passive Scan Agile Earth Observation Satellites are able to maneuver around all their three body axes and scan the target area in different directions, simultaneously. The most stringent mid-level requirements which dominate their attitude determination and control subsystem performance are applied in detumbling and fine pointing modes. These performance requirements are maneuverability, agility, accuracy and stability. In this research, first, we derive the analytical and statistical relationships between quantitative criteria of mid-level requirements and spatial resolution as a high-level mission requirement, next the design drivers of reaction wheels are extracted consequently. Then the size, mass and consuming power of an operational satellite and the reaction wheels torque authority and momentum capacity is guesstimated based on its imaging payload size and specifications.