Actuators for agile satellites

Airbus CMG's, a cost-effective solution for new-generation observation and science missions.

The demand for agile satellites has increased considerably over the last few years, be it for commercial or military applications, Earth observation, astronomy, optical instruments or radar payloads. And when it comes to providing a high output torque at reasonable mass, power consumption and cost, reaction wheels are no match for control moment gyroscopes (CMGs).

• A compact, cost-effective, high performance control momentum gyroscope solution for satellites
• Performance: more than two orders of magnitude in satellite agility when compared to a traditional system, enabling twice as many images per orbit
• Design: Very compact design and easy implementation on the bus
• Lifetime: qualified for 10 years of continuous operation in orbit with 2.4 million manoeuvres