What is the function of the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)?

What is the function of the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)?

• A. To determine spacecraft orientation and adjust its attitude using sensors and actuators.
• B. To compute orbital elements.
• C. To manage power distribution.
• D. To handle thermal control.

Answer: (A)

Attitude determination and control is about knowing where the spacecraft is pointing in space and actively steering it to the desired orientation. It uses sensors like star trackers, sun sensors, and gyros to determine the current attitude, then applies actuators such as reaction wheels, control moment gyros, or thrusters to adjust that orientation. This keeps antennas aimed at Earth, science instruments toward targets, and solar panels toward the Sun as needed. It isn’t about computing orbital elements (that’s a navigation/orbit determination task), nor about distributing power or managing heat, which belong to the power and thermal subsystems respectively.