Attitude Control & Pointing
Attitude Hold Basics
Run a basic attitude hold experiment and observe how the controller converges to the target angle.
- Time estimate
- 25–30 min
- Complexity
- developing
- Maturity
- pilot ready
- Simulator readiness
- implemented
- Software available now
- Available now in one-axis simulator — run `attitude_hold_basics`; telemetry charts and replay supported.
Student path
- Choose a sensor noise/drift preset and set a target angle.
- Increase elapsed time and watch the measured angle drift away from the true angle.
- Compare low-noise vs high-noise presets — read the measurement error and drift warning.
- Copy/export your evidence — local-only, teaching model, not real ADCS hardware.
Learning outcomes
Student can describe the target angle, actual angle, and error trend from a real simulator run.
- Identify target angle, actual angle, and error on a telemetry chart.
- Describe what convergence looks like in the error signal.
- Explain what settling time means for mission operations.
Concept primer
Run a basic attitude hold experiment and observe how the controller converges to the target angle.
Run attitude_hold_basics experiment; view telemetry charts for error convergence.
Sketch the expected error vs time curve for a controlled settling response.
Interactive lab
Teaching-grade software activity slot — not a flight simulator or certified propagator.
Sensor angle estimation lab
How noisy are your attitude measurements?
0°
30 s
Medium noise — a complementary filter or Kalman update is typical in practice.
Local self-check
Assessment (practice only)
Use this as a self-check and discussion starter. It is local-only and not a grade.
Optional: attaches a local summary (completed / quick checks / checklist count).
Quick check
Multiple choice self-check
This is a local self-check to support discussion. It is not a grade.
Quick check: Why does sensor noise matter for attitude determination?
Quick check: Gyroscope drift means the sensor's angle reading...
Discussion prompt
Short answer (local only)
Write notes for yourself or your group. Nothing is submitted.
Reflection: Describe in one sentence why a spacecraft might need both a gyroscope and another sensor (like a sun sensor or star tracker) to estimate attitude accurately.
Checklist
Local checklist self-check
Use this to verify you covered key ideas. Nothing is submitted.
Self-check before moving on:
0 / 3 checked
Local summary
Assessment summary (practice only)
Completion
0 / 4 sections complete
Quick checks
0 / 2 correct
Shown only to support self-check.
Checklist
0 / 3 items checked
Reminder
Local-only practice summary. Not a grade and not submitted anywhere.
What this preview is / is not
Assessment engine v0 boundary note
- Student view (local practice): use this as a self-check and discussion starter.
- Local-only preview/practice: your answers are not submitted.
- No backend, no accounts, no roster, and no LMS integration.
- Not a grade. No credential or official scoring is implied.
- Teacher visibility into student answers is not implemented in MVPF8.
- Evidence runtime engine arrives in Phase 9 (not in this preview).
Capture
Evidence capture (local-only)
Capture what you did, what changed, what you observed, and how you explain it. This stays in your browser unless you copy/share it manually.
Selected inputs
- Sensor preset: Medium noise (typical)
- Target angle: 0°
- Elapsed time: 30 s
Generated outputs
- True angle: 0°
- Measured angle: 1°
- Measurement error: 1°
- Drift accumulated: 0.6°
- Drift warning: No
Checklist
Evidence checklist
0/3 checked
Evidence artifact (local-only)
Attitude Hold Basics
Captured: 2026-05-16T07:38:33.165Z · Level: high_school · Track: attitude_control
Summary
Copyable class summary
Copy a readable summary for class notes, or copy JSON for a structured record. Local-only: nothing is submitted.
Evidence artifact (v1) Activity: Attitude Hold Basics Track: attitude_control Learner level: high_school Captured: 2026-05-16T07:38:33.165Z Mission brief: Sensor: Medium noise (typical). Target: 0°. Elapsed: 30 s. Selected inputs: - Sensor preset: Medium noise (typical) - Target angle: 0° - Elapsed time: 30 s Generated outputs: - True angle: 0° - Measured angle: 1° - Measurement error: 1° - Drift accumulated: 0.6° - Drift warning: No Checklist: - [ ] I can explain what sensor noise does to an angle estimate. - [ ] I observed the measured vs true angle difference in the lab. - [ ] I can state why drift is a problem for long-duration attitude hold. Observations: (not provided) Reflection: Sensor: Medium noise (typical). Error: 1°. Drift: 0.6°. Model boundary note: Local-only teaching model — not full 3-axis flight ADCS, not a reaction-wheel safety certification, not remote hardware control, not official attitude determination software. Evidence is not submitted anywhere and is not a grade. Policy reminder: - Local-only capture. Not submitted anywhere. Not a grade.
Evidence capture
Expected outputs learners should be able to show after the lab (Phase 9 evidence engine preview available).
- Telemetry chart showing error → small
- Replay artifact with timestamped settle
- Optional 3D scene showing body vs target ghost
Reflection
Set a target angle and observe the one-axis simulator converge; note settling time.
Responses are not persisted in this preview unless a specific activity component adds storage later.
Assessment / quick check
From your run, how do you know the spacecraft reached the target within acceptable error?
Teacher notes
Have students predict overshoot before showing chart; compare prediction to evidence.
Teacher use
Focus on why filtering matters: gyroscopes integrate angular rate — small bias accumulates over time. Reinforce that attitude determination typically fuses multiple sensors (gyro + sun sensor / star tracker). This lab models the concept, not real sensor physics.
Next activity
Suggested progression from the mission learning path. Links avoid missing activity routes.