External Magnetic Field Contributions to B-Dot Attitude Control of a Nanosatellite

The external field influences are taken into consideration when presenting the geomagnetic field models. The external field is sensed by the magnetometers yet not included in geomagnetic field models in most cases. It is important to consider the effect of the external field on other subsystems of the nanosatellite. For example, the external field can induce electric currents in the satellite's conductive components, which can cause interference in the communication and power systems. Moreover, changes in the external field can impact the satellite's orbit and alter the amount of drag experienced by the spacecraft, leading to a potential loss of altitude and, ultimately, mission failure. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the external field's influence on the nanosatellite's subsystems is necessary to ensure a successful mission. The magnetic control is applied by the magnetorquers in the detumbling stage of the nanosatellite in this study. Despite the fact that three-axis control is not instantaneously possible with magnetic control, it is possible in near-polar trajectories because the magnetic field constantly varies. Therefore, this study focuses on the level of the external field contributions to the magnetic control of the nanosatellites to see if they can be used in our favor by having more variations in the field.