1. The fleet maneuvers

The Lost Fleet: Dauntless spends much of its time on the problem of getting a fleet to move together: who turns first, who follows, and what happens when the plan breaks. An ADCS test campaign is the desktop version of that. It checks that the sensors, actuators, and software can turn the platform and hold it where it belongs.

2. The test matrix

Sensor tests

  • Star tracker baffle and stray light. Confirm the tracker can acquire and hold stars with Earth, sun, and moon outside its field of view.
  • Gyro bias and noise characterization. Measure drift rates and noise floors over temperature.
  • Magnetometer calibration. Map sensor output against a known magnetic field and compensate for platform hard- and soft-iron effects.
  • Sun sensor field of view and accuracy. Verify response across the expected sun-angles.
  • Sensor fusion validation. Inject known rotations and compare the filter output to truth.

Actuator tests

  • Reaction wheel characterization. Measure torque, momentum capacity, bearing friction, and vibration.
  • Magnetorquer dipole and residual moment. Verify torque generation in a known field.
  • Thruster torque coupling. Measure the torque produced by each thruster and update the control model.

Closed-loop tests

  • Pointing acquisition. Command each pointing mode and measure settling time and accuracy.
  • Slew performance. Verify the platform can slew between targets within time and power constraints.
  • Disturbance rejection. Apply known torques and confirm the control system recovers.
  • Momentum dumping. Exercise wheel desaturation with magnetorquers or thrusters.
  • Safe mode entry and recovery. Disable sensors or actuators and confirm the platform sun-acquires and safes itself.

3. Pass/fail posture

A sensor that cannot meet accuracy requirements in the presence of expected stray light is a fail. A reaction wheel that induces unacceptable vibration is a fail. A safe mode that does not reliably sun-acquire is a fail. A pointing mode that meets spec but uses more power than budgeted is a design input, not necessarily a fail.

4. What the test campaign is really for

To turn ADCS from a set of components into a behavior. The platform must not only have a star tracker and reaction wheels; it must know how to use them to stay pointed, recover from surprises, and avoid using propellant when magnetic or wheel control will do.