Reaction Wheel Modeling for Static and Low-Frequency Magnetic Cleanliness Requirements

In this article, the analysis of a reaction wheel's static and low-frequency (LF) magnetic fields is carried out. The key parameters that affect the spectral variations of the magnetic field emissions are identified and a sensitivity analysis is conducted in order to analyze the impact of these parameters to the field spectrum. Moreover, a methodology for modeling the magnetic signature of the reaction wheel's rotor for purposes of magnetic cleanliness is presented. The static near-field of the rotor is employed to estimate the associated model parameters that may reproduce its magnetic signature. Furthermore, the determined parameters are used to predict the LF magnetic spectrum in the operating mode of the wheel. This analysis illustrates the significance of the targeted accuracy during the manufacturing process of this type of equipment and provides a deep understanding on development of methods to satisfy demanding magnetic cleanliness requirements in space missions.