Moving Roman: Reaction Wheels

Reaction wheels are an essential part of pointing most space telescopes. They are basically flywheels driven by electric motors, which makes them more precise than thrusters and capable of running indefinitely on solar power. They spin to store angular momentum. By slowing or speeding the rotation of a given wheel, changing the amount of momentum, a computer can precisely adjust how the spacecraft points around its center of mass in one plane. With three wheels set at specific angles, a satellite can control its pitch, roll and yaw to point in any direction and then hold that position without any change.
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has added its set of reaction wheels to the main spacecraft body, or bus. Roman has six reaction wheels, rather than the necessary three, to give it more angular momentum for faster pointing, as well as complete redundancy should any one wheel fail.
Each of Roman’s wheels is 18 inches across, weighs roughly 45 pounds, and spins up to 4,000 rpm.
Music credit: "Breaking the Code" from Universal Production Music
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Producer: Scott Wiessinger (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
Animator:Jonathan North (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
Animator: Krystofer Kim (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
Videographer: Sophia Roberts (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.)
Narrator: Scott Wiessinger (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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[@michaelteegarden4116]

Flywheels and gyros are fascinating!

[@ptonpc]

Nicely explained and thanks for including metric measurements too.

[@LindaJuffermans]

Scientists usually do :)

[@lethargogpeterson4083]

Well explained. Thank you.

[@arxaaron]

Most fascinating and educational NASA Goddard video in a long time. Loved it!

[@LindaJuffermans]

I was today years old when I learned about reaction wheels. That's an amazing technology.

[@alphagt62]

I knew they used gyros to control movement, but I didn’t know exactly how, until now

[@Vtarngpb]

You should play Kerbal Space Program 😉

[@ClosestNearUtopia]

This guy never holded a grinder, or drill apparently his whole live😂

[@dobrzpe]

that's f-ing BRILLIANT! nasa never ceases to amaze...

[@peterdefrankrijker]

Science is amazing. People did that.

[@Pottery4Life]

Thank you. Looking forward to its launch!!

[@diracio]

OMG, awesome! Never knew this and love it!

[@RudiVandeReep]

Awsome for sharing that interesting, technological info!.

[@TheNefastor]

Very good and concise explanation.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

I bet you were hoping to get a reacion out of me.
It WORKED!

[@Knowyourbody]

Four wheel?

[@vimalramachandran]

Very well explained!

[@jimday666]

This was neat!
Thank you!

[@Abhishek-Vincent]

Brilliant!

[@RyshusMojo1]

I see a line of interactive toys to be used in zero gravity using reaction wheel tech and small ducted fans for thrusters.

[@SolaceEasy]

Well, that's new to me. Thanks!

[@DiegoGomez-pk5tg]

Sick vid Goddard

[@OceanofknowledgeAstronomy]

Thank You 💞💞

[@chrisrigoni]

Thank You 🙏✌

[@IsabellaIsabella-mc1tx]

Hi! Thanks. Great. ❤

[@Vorador666]

Very informative :)

[@olorin4317]

So cool.

[@IndependantMind168]

Cool video

[@carldori6172]

excelent

[@irrelevant9023]

Nothing can stop human progress

[@guimarotta]

Except greed...

[@siedliko]

ISLAM

[@DSAK55]

have you seen trump supporters

[@bagalexey]

Every technology has some room to evolve and mature...

[@johnnyhollis9977]

Hubble needs some new ones!

[@RinksRides]

neat.

[@user-vd4ez7sc5v]

Thrusters Mr. Sulu

[@taylormay9938]

What kind of bearings are used to keep these wheels turning for decades without maintenance?

[@inthemoment9910]

Fancy

[@vannigio6234]

uah! 💥💥💥🐻👍👍👍

[@rogerscottcathey]

We're voyagers using thrusters in or reaction wheels?

[@marca9955]

Thrusters are still needed to reset reaction wheels due to losses.

[@t0k4m4k7]

i like roman

[@robopenguin5501]

Me knowing about this since playing Kerbal Space Program 💀

[@AverageFornaxEnjoyer]

Haven't heard of this Telescope, what is its primary function? Optical or infrared?

[@HuxleysShaggyDog]

Why can't counter rotating flywheels spin themselves down?

[@intrvrt2226]

At 2:00, what exactly does it mean?

[@werdna1969]

My main takeaway is that each wheel is size of a large pizza.

[@kingmasterlord]

how bout them microwave rockets, go all electric.

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

.

[@ianturpin9180]

There is nothing new about gyroscopic stabilization.

[@_Kidjal_]

Cool stuff!