An integrated power and attitude control system and method for a vehicle
efficiently supplies electrical power to both low voltage and high
voltage loads, and does not rely on relatively heavy batteries to supply
power during the vehicle initialization process. The system includes an
energy storage flywheel, and a solar array that is movable between a
stowed position and a deployed position. The energy storage flywheel is
spun up, using electrical power supplied from a low voltage power source,
to a rotational speed sufficient to provide attitude control. Then, after
the solar array is moved to its deployed position, the energy storage
flywheel is spun up, using electrical power supplied from a second power
source, to a rotational speed sufficient to provide both attitude control
and energy storage.