FPGA based microstepping scheme for stepper motor in Space-Based Solar Power Systems

Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) systems require high precision in positioning of the photovoltaic panels, which can be attained through the use of stepper motors. The precision of the shaft movement can be improved by employing a microstepping scheme in the stepper motor controller. Microstepping renders to advantages which include dynamics with high precision, accurate positioning, ripple reduction and attenuation of mechanical resonance. The present paper focuses on the hardware implementation of a high performance FPGA based algorithm developed using Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) for a microstepping scheme of a stepper motor for solar-tracking of photovoltaic panels in SBSP.