Attitude Control & Pointing
Step Response to +10 Degrees
Apply a 10-degree step command and characterize the response: overshoot, settling time, steady-state error.
- Time estimate
- 25–30 min
- Complexity
- developing
- Maturity
- pilot ready
- Simulator readiness
- implemented
- Software available now
- Available now in one-axis simulator — `ten_degree_step_response` with chart + replay evidence.
Student path
- Choose a step size (5°, 10°, or 20°) and a gain preset.
- Read the overshoot percentage, settling category, and wheel effort badge.
- Switch to the high-gain preset and compare — is it faster? At what cost?
- Copy/export your evidence — local-only, teaching model, not real spacecraft PID.
Learning outcomes
Student can measure overshoot and settling time from a step response chart and relate them to controller tuning.
- Define overshoot and settling time from a step response.
- Read both values from a provided telemetry chart.
- Explain how higher controller gain affects overshoot.
Concept primer
Apply a 10-degree step command and characterize the response: overshoot, settling time, steady-state error.
Run ten_degree_step_response experiment; compare charts at default PID settings.
Draw a step response with labelled overshoot, settling time, and steady-state value.
Interactive lab
Teaching-grade software activity slot — not a flight simulator or certified propagator.
Step response lab
How does the spacecraft respond to a step command?
Kp=1.5 Ki=0.1 Kd=0.5
Target angle
10°
Peak angle (with overshoot)
10.8°
Stable — acceptable trade-off
Key concept
Overshoot is how far beyond the target the spacecraft goes before settling. Higher gain reaches the target faster but overshoots more and demands more wheel torque (= more power). Too high and the response oscillates.
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: In a step response, overshoot means the spacecraft...
Quick check: Increasing proportional gain in a PID controller typically...
Discussion prompt
Short answer (local only)
Write notes for yourself or your group. Nothing is submitted.
Reflection: For a camera imaging mission, would you prefer low or high gain? Explain in one sentence why.
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
- Step size: Medium step (+10°)
- Gain preset: Medium gain (balanced)
Generated outputs
- Final angle: 10°
- Peak angle (with overshoot): 10.8°
- Overshoot: 8%
- Settling category: Moderate settle (10–30 s)
- Wheel effort: Medium wheel effort
- Stability: Stable — acceptable trade-off
Checklist
Evidence checklist
0/3 checked
Evidence artifact (local-only)
Step Response to +10 Degrees
Captured: 2026-05-16T07:38:33.340Z · 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: Step Response to +10 Degrees Track: attitude_control Learner level: high_school Captured: 2026-05-16T07:38:33.340Z Mission brief: Step: Medium step (+10°). Gain: Medium gain (balanced). Selected inputs: - Step size: Medium step (+10°) - Gain preset: Medium gain (balanced) Generated outputs: - Final angle: 10° - Peak angle (with overshoot): 10.8° - Overshoot: 8% - Settling category: Moderate settle (10–30 s) - Wheel effort: Medium wheel effort - Stability: Stable — acceptable trade-off Checklist: - [ ] I can define overshoot and settling time from a step response. - [ ] I ran the lab at two different gain settings and compared results. - [ ] I can explain the trade-off between response speed and smoothness. Observations: (not provided) Reflection: Step: Medium step (+10°). Overshoot: 8%. Moderate settle (10–30 s). 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).
- Chart with overshoot peak marked
- Numeric or estimated settling time
- Wheel effort trace if shown
Reflection
Apply a 10-degree step; measure overshoot from the telemetry chart.
Responses are not persisted in this preview unless a specific activity component adds storage later.
Assessment / quick check
If you increase proportional gain, what usually happens to overshoot and why might operators care?
Teacher notes
Bridge to tuning ethics: fast but gentle on actuators and power.
Teacher use
Bridge to tuning trade-offs: faster is not always better. High gain = fast settle + high overshoot + high wheel effort + power draw + saturation risk. Use the stability warning on the high-gain preset as a real-world caution. These are teaching-grade gain categories, not calibrated PID engineering values.
Next activity
Suggested progression from the mission learning path. Links avoid missing activity routes.