Control Moment Gyroscope Testbed

Building the Control Moment Gyroscope Testbed

During my internship at Honeywell Aerospace in the summer of 2023, I worked as a Systems Mechanical Engineering Intern. Along with assisting my mentor on tasks throughout the summer, I was also put on a team of eight interns tasked with designing and building a tabletop Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) testbed. Honeywell Space produces CMGs and Reaction Wheel Assemblies for satellites, and while the company operates a large, full-scale CMG testbed that occupies an entire room, our project was to create a scaled-down 12” × 12” version for educational demonstrations and training.

CAD Model of Motor Mount

I was a member of the four-person mechanical engineering sub-team, where I contributed to CAD modeling, design, analysis, and manufacturing. This project was my introduction to Siemens NX CAD, which I quickly learned to design and iterate components, and my first experience with Bambu 3D printers, where I fabricated parts to test fit and function. My primary responsibility was to design and manufacture the motor mounts for the system, ensuring they were strong enough to withstand loads while minimizing unnecessary weight. I also assisted in testing load capacities and worked closely with the rest of the team to ensure the system’s balance - a critical factor for CMG operation.

Over the course of the internship, our team developed the design from scratch, sourcing the gyroscopes and motors. We conducted multiple design reviews and presentations for Honeywell engineers, showcasing our design choices, analysis, and manufacturing process. By the end of the summer, we had built and assembled a fully operational tabletop CMG testbed, successfully demonstrating its functionality.

CMG Testbed in Motion during Testing

This project gave me hands-on experience with mechanical design, CAD modeling, additive manufacturing, and team-based problem solving in a highly technical aerospace environment. It was a highlight of my internship, demonstrating how rapidly I can learn new tools, contribute meaningful design solutions, and deliver a fully engineered system under real-world constraints.