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Reaction Wheel Sizing

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Estimate reaction-wheel angular momentum storage, wheel inertia, and kinetic energy for an attitude slew torque.

s
rpm
%

Wheel inertia

0.02 kg m2

minimum inertia at maximum speed

Momentum capacity

12.00 N m s

25.0% margin included

Stored energy

3,141.59 J

0.873 Wh at max speed

Calculation breakdown

Commanded angular impulse9.60 N m s
Momentum margin2.40 N m s
Margin factor1.250
Maximum wheel speed523.60 rad/s
Wheel speed limit5,000.00 rpm

Torque impulse to wheel storage

The commanded torque impulse sets angular momentum demand; the speed limit turns that into wheel inertia.

H = 12.00 N m s

Commanded impulseMomentum margin
Momentum Stored In RotorI = 0.0229 kg m2omega max = 523.6 rad/s

Angular impulse

9.60 N m s

0.080 N m for 120 s

Headroom

2.40 N m s

25.0% momentum margin

Stored energy

0.873 Wh

3,141.6 J at max speed

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