Novel High Accuracy Resolver Topology for Space Applications.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• The space industry is rapidly evolving with private company involvement.
• This shift necessitates new, reliable instrumentation, moving beyond traditional, space-tested equipment.
• Rotary sensors are crucial for motor applications in spacecraft.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify advanced rotary sensors for space applications.
• To evaluate existing rotary sensor technologies, focusing on resolvers.
• To design and compare novel resolver topologies for improved performance.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of resolver technologies.
• Design and comparison of various single-speed absolute position resolvers.
• Performance analysis of different resolver topologies.

Main Results:

• Resistive potentiometers, while common, have limitations.
• A novel resolver topology was designed and demonstrated superior performance.
• The new design outperformed all other studied resolver topologies.

Conclusions:

• New technologies, like advanced resolvers, are needed for the evolving space sector.
• The developed novel resolver topology offers significant performance improvements.
• This research supports the adoption of innovative sensor solutions in space missions.