Add as a preferred source on Google


U Toronto Students Design Small Satellite with MathWorks Software

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/01/10

A laboratory at the University of Toronto has designed and simulated nanosatellite control systems using software from MathWorks. The project to develop the high-performance attitude control systems engaged graduate students working alongside engineers from the Space Flight Laboratory at the university's Institute for Aerospace Studies.

The students used MathWorks' MATLAB, a programming language and development environment, and Simulink, an application for simulation and model-based design. The first stage of their research involved developing a preliminary design of a satellite system. Then they worked with lab engineers to model and test precision attitude control systems using their design.

"Using MathWorks tools on [the space flight] projects equips our students with invaluable, practical space systems engineering experience," said Robert Zee, director of the lab. "MATLAB and Simulink provided the opportunity for graduate students to work side by side with engineers and gain practical experience on a system that will actually fly in space."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Analyst or Scientist uses a computer and dashboard for analysis of information on complex data sets on computer.

    Anthropic Study Tracks AI Adoption Across Countries, Industries

    Adoption of AI tools is growing quickly but remains uneven across countries and industries, with higher-income economies using them far more per person and companies favoring automated deployments over collaborative ones, according to a recent study released by Anthropic.

  • businessmen shaking hands behind digital technology imagery

    Microsoft, OpenAI Restructure AI Partnership

    Microsoft and OpenAI announced they are redefining their partnership as part of a major recapitalization effort aimed at preparing for the arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

  • computer monitor displaying a collage of AI-related icons

    Google Advances AI Image Generation with Multi-Modal Capabilities

    Google has introduced Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, marking a significant advancement in artificial intelligence systems that can understand and manipulate visual content through natural language processing.

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.