This paper proposes fault tolerant control laws using sliding mode control and adaptation laws for a satellite with reaction wheel faults. Considering system parameter errors and faults uncertainties in the dynamics of satellite, the control laws were designed. It was assumed that only reaction wheel failures occurred as faults. The reaction wheel faults were reflected in the multiply form. Because the proposed control laws satisfy the Lyapunov stability theorem, the stability is guaranteed. Through computer simulation, it was assured that the proposed adaptive sliding mode controller has a better performance than the existing sliding mode controller under unstable angular rates.