Hollow Sphere Platform for Attitude Control Testing of CubeSat

The rapid growth of small satellites or CubeSat missions provides new opportunities for education and technology development but also presents challenges in groundbased verification of the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS). This paper presents the design and experimental validation of a hollow sphere platform for CubeSat ADCS test platform. Unlike traditional hemispherical air-bearing structures, the proposed platform enables full 360° free motion across three axes, more closely simulating microgravity conditions. The system consists of a spherical air-bearing base, a hollow acrylic sphere, and a 3D-printing CubeSat model. Experimental tests were performed to validate the inertial measurement unit (IMU), and structural integration of the sphere-base assembly. Results demonstrate the stable levitation of the sphere with payloads up to 2.0 kg. The proposed platform offers a low-cost, educationally valuable, and technically effective solution for CubeSat ADCS development and training.