The Eu:CROPIS (Euglena Combined Regenerative Organic food Production In Space) satellite, scheduled for launch in 2017, is the next mission to be launched as part of the German Aerospace Center's (DLR) compact satellite program. The mission is currently in Phase C and is being developed jointly by several institutes within DLR. The mission's focus is to test several biological experiments at different levels of artificial gravity. The payload modules are provided by different DLR institutes, the University of Erlangen and NASA-AMES. The satellite itself has a mass of about 230 kg and includes several subsystems which directly interfere with the attitude control system (e.g. deployable solar panels, liquid pumps and venting devices). This paper provides an overview of the Eu:CROPIS Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS). It starts by presenting the design driving requirements and explains how the required g-levels are achieved purely by a magnetic spin stabilization concept. Following this is a presentation of the AOCS modes and a discussion of the chosen sensors and actuators. The attitude determination and attitude control algorithms are then described. Finally, an outlook is given for further development steps of the Eu:CROPIS satellite.
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