Aerodynamic Characterization of Fin Configuration for VLEO Attitude Stabilization
Vincenzo Maria CANNAVALE, Mattia ILLIANO, Tobia Armando LA MARCA, Maria Daniela GRAZIANO, Elisa CAPELLO, Michele GRASSI
Abstract. This work proposes a hybrid tilt–twist fin configuration for CubeSat attitude control in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), combining passive stability with potential control authority through two geometric parameters: tilt and twist angles. The aerodynamic forces and torques have been evaluated through a panel method in free molecular flow, across a parametric design space. Results demonstrate that hybrid configurations achieve lower drag than shuttlecock designs while providing superior control authority compared to feather configurations, establishing a crucial step for future dynamic deflection-based control laws in VLEO missions.
Keywords
VLEO, Aerodynamics, Drag Analysis, Surface Optimization, CubeSat
Published online 7/20/2026, 6 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Vincenzo Maria CANNAVALE, Mattia ILLIANO, Tobia Armando LA MARCA, Maria Daniela GRAZIANO, Elisa CAPELLO, Michele GRASSI, Aerodynamic Characterization of Fin Configuration for VLEO Attitude Stabilization, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 69, pp 966-971, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904251-170
The article was published as article 170 of the book CEAS – AIDAA Conference 2025
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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