HelmholtzSim: Software for the design and simulation of a Helmholtz testbed for hardware “in-the-loop” microsatellite simulations

The design and validation of Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) for microsatellites require high-fidelity simulation environments, particularly for components like magnetorquers and magnetometers. HelmholtzSim is an open-source Python package developed for the simulation and optimization of Helmholtz cages, enabling accurate hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation of ADCS components. The software leverages the Biot–Savart law for parallelized magnetic field calculations, integrates genetic algorithms for coil design optimization, and supports mission simulation using Two-Line Element (TLE) data. Additionally, it provides integrated 2D and 3D visualization tools. This paper details the architecture, functionalities, and applications of HelmholtzSim, presenting it as a cost-effective and accessible alternative to commercial electromagnetic simulation software.