Space Gear
Reaction Wheel
A spinning wheel used to change a spacecraft's orientation without expelling propellant.
Why it matters
Fine pointing supports imaging, communications and scientific observations.
Technology / attitude systems
Overview
Reaction wheels control attitude, meaning pointing direction, rather than directly changing the orbit. Their stored angular momentum has limits. External torques can require another system to unload that momentum.
Educational reference, reviewed . This page is not a live mission-status report.
How it works
Changing the wheel's spin changes the spacecraft's angular motion in the opposite sense. Sensors and control software coordinate multiple wheels to reach and hold a target attitude.
Why it matters
Fine pointing supports imaging, communications and scientific observations.
Key facts & specifications
Values apply only to the hardware or configuration described. Unverified measurements are omitted.
- Function
- Attitude actuation
NASA · Guidance, navigation and control ↗ - Method
- Momentum exchange
NASA · Guidance, navigation and control ↗
Illustration gallery
Original educational diagrams, not photographs of specific hardware.
Cosmic Civilizations · original educational vector illustration
Original artwork created for Cosmic Civilizations; no agency imagery or endorsement.
Real-world applications
- Three-axis-stabilised spacecraft
Read the primary references for the original mission context and technical limits.
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Sources & further reading
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