Control Moment Gyroscope CMG 15-45
Airbus Defence and Space
Compact control moment gyroscope for agile attitude control of small-to-medium satellites up to 1 tonne.
Technical specifications
- Torque
- 45 Nm
- Angular momentum
- 15 Nms
- Target satellite mass
- Up to 1 tonne
- Slew agility
- 3°/s in under 2 seconds
- Mission life
- 10+ years LEO
About
The CMG 15-45 is the smallest member of Airbus’ control moment gyroscope (CMG) family, designed for high-agility attitude control of satellites up to roughly 1 tonne. It delivers up to 45 Nm of output torque from 15 Nms of stored angular momentum, enabling fast slews of around 3°/s in under two seconds — well suited to agile Earth observation missions requiring rapid retargeting.
The unit is rated for at least 10 years of operation in low Earth orbit and provides high-resolution angular feedback (22-bit) for precise pointing control, forming part of Airbus’ broader Newton CMG product line.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
