3 ms·

> I wonder if it would be possible to balance this thing by sloshing fluid around, or with linear actuators moving weights around. No. The reaction wheels are

• s0rce 3y ago
  Not really sloshing but you can pump fluid in tubes to mimic a reaction wheel https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19910016066 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19910016066 Can also probably provide some thermal advantages as well. Oh neat, you can use a direct current electromagnetic pump to implement this with liquid metal as the fluid 10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.11.030
  • duskwuff 3y ago
    > Not really sloshing but you can pump fluid in tubes to mimic a reaction wheel https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19910016066 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19910016066 I think that's a little different -- it's pumping liquid around to change attitude (i.e. to point the satellite in a different direction), not to affect its rotational velocity. To get a sustained rotation, you'd have to keep pumping the liquid around continuously, which isn't terribly practical. Neat idea, though! I wonder if it's being used anywhere, or if reaction wheels won out.
    • jdiez17 3y ago
      That’s exactly the same principle as reaction wheels. Indeed they have to keep spinning to maintain a certain angular rate.
• pavel_lishin 3y ago
  Right, that's how this cube - and how satellites - work. But would other approaches be feasible for a desk toy or an art object?