  This paper deals with the use of a magnetic levitation system as a part of a
multi-stage seismic attenuator for gravitational wave interferometric antennas.
The proposed configuration uses permanent magnets in attraction to balance the
suspended weight, plus a closed loop position control to obtain a stable
levitation. The system is analyzed using a MATLAB simulation code to compute
the forces exerted by extended magnets. The validity of this model has been
tested by a comparison with the experimental data from a levitated suspension
prototype.
