A device for measuring the Moment of Inertia for aerospace applications

The knowledge of the Moment of Inertia of space components and small satellites is of paramount importance for the attitude control of the same. A simple device based on a precision air bearing equipped with a torsion rod has been realized at INRIM. The principle, the practical realization and the calibration procedure are presented. The apparatus has been tested with objects having mass less than 5 kg and moment of inertia up to 0.034 kg m2 obtaining an accuracy of the order of 0,2 % (k = 2).