ASPINA offers a lineup of reaction wheels (RWs) designed for small satellite constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), catering to CubeSats and satellites ranging from 100kg to 500kg class.
ASPINA Reaction Wheels for Small Space Satellites
ASPINA offers a lineup of reaction wheels (RWs) designed for small satellite constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), catering to CubeSats and satellites ranging from 100kg to 500kg class.
Description
ASPINA is developing a lineup of reaction wheels (RWs) for small satellite constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The lineup currently includes RWs for five different satellite sizes: 10 kg-class CubeSats, and 100 kg-class, 200 kg-class, 300 kg-class, and 500 kg-class satellites. These RWs are designed with competitive cost and shorter lead times, leveraging ASPINA’s decades of supply chain expertise and experience with automotive- and consumer-grade parts while ensuring quality for new satellite applications. The RWs, with a flywheel diameter of about 10 to 25cm, compensate for disturbance torques and possess the environmental durability required for satellite components. ASPINA aims to ship RWs within 2 to 3 months after receiving a purchase order by using widely available consumer-grade electronic components. Parts are selected to withstand the vibration, shock, temperature, vacuum, and radiation conditions of space and launch operations, and are evaluated through in-house testing. The company also focuses on suppressing on-board disturbance from RW vibration by precisely balancing the flywheel, designing new measurement jigs, employing specially designed high-precision bearings, and optimizing control methods for stable rotation. The RW for 100kg-class satellites is a cylindrical wheel, and structural analyses are performed to ensure sufficient strength against launch vibrations and shock. ASPINA is jointly developing the RW for 100kg-class satellites with AXELSPACE Corporation and a smaller RW for CubeSats with Ark Edge Space Inc.
Specifications
| Item | Developing specification |
|---|---|
| Model | ARW-3m |
| TRL | 8 |
| Flight heritage | 1st units launched: Jan 2025 |
| Satellite mass | CubeSat |
| Momentum, max | 3mNms |
| Torque, max | 1 mNm |
| Nominal speed, max | 6000RPM |
| Mass | 71 g |
| Envelope | 30 x 30 x 30 mm |
| Power, steady state | 0.6 W @ 6000RPM |
| Power, max torque | 2.5 W @ 6000RPM |
| Supply voltage | 9 V to 12 V |
| Command/telemetry | I2C |
| Control mode | Speed or torque |
| Temp, operating | -30 to 70°C |
| Temp, survival | -30 to 70°C |
| Radiation, TID | 30krad |
| Vibration | 14.1grms |
| Mission life | 2 years |
| Model (2) | ARW-0.35 |
| TRL (2) | 8 |
| Flight heritage (2) | 1st Launch: Middle of 2026 |
| Satellite mass (2) | 100 kg class |
| Momentum, max (2) | 0.35 Nms |
| Torque, max (2) | 15 mNm |
| Nominal speed, max (2) | 6000RPM |
| Mass (2) | 1 kg |
| Envelope (2) | 100 x 100 x 58.5 mm |
| Power, steady state (2) | 3 W @ 6000RPM |
| Power, max torque (2) | 15.6 W @ 6000RPM |
| Supply voltage (2) | 18 V to 34 V |
| Command/telemetry (2) | RS485 |
| Control mode (2) | Speed or torque |
| Temp, operating (2) | -20 to 50°C |
| Temp, survival (2) | -30 to 60°C |
| Radiation, TID (2) | 30krad |
| Vibration (2) | 20grms |
| Shock | 2000 g |
| Mission life (2) | 5 years |
| Model (3) | ARW-1A |
| TRL (3) | 8 |
| Flight heritage (3) | 1st Launch: Jun 2026 |
| Satellite mass (3) | 200 kg class |
| Momentum, max (3) | 1 Nms |
| Torque, max (3) | 100 mNm |
| Nominal speed, max (3) | 7000RPM |
| Mass (3) | 1.75 kg |
| Envelope (3) | 138 x 138 x 50 mm |
| Power, steady state (3) | 10 W @ 7000RPM |
| Power, max torque (3) | 100 W @ 7000RPM |
| Supply voltage (3) | 24 V to 34 V |
| Command/telemetry (3) | RS485 |
| Control mode (3) | Speed or torque |
| Temp, operating (3) | -20 to 50°C |
| Temp, survival (3) | -40 to 60°C |
| Radiation, TID (3) | 30krad |
| Vibration (3) | 20.8grms |
| Shock (2) | 1000 g |
| Mission life (3) | 5 years |
| Model (4) | ARW-2 |
| TRL (4) | 8 |
| Flight heritage (4) | 1st Launch: Jun 2026 |
| Satellite mass (4) | 300 kg class |
| Momentum, max (4) | 2 Nms |
| Torque, max (4) | 100 mNm |
| Nominal speed, max (4) | 7000RPM |
| Mass (4) | 2.25 kg |
| Envelope (4) | 138 x 138 x 68 mm |
