Micropropulsion For Small Spacecraft

This book reviews the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) small spacecraft technology development. Included are assessments of NASA's technology priorities for relevance to small spacecraft and identification of technology gaps and overlaps. The volume also examines the small spacecraft technology programs of other government agencies and assesses technology efforts in industry.

Space Micropropulsion for Nanosatellites: Progress, Challenges and Future features the latest developments and progress, the challenges faced by different researchers, and insights on future micropropulsion systems. Nanosatellites, in particular cubesats, are an effective test bed for new technologies in outer space. However, most of the nanosatellites have no propulsion system, which subsequently limits their maneuverability in space. Explains why nanosatellite requirements need unique micro-technologies to help develop a compliant propulsion system Features an overview of nanosatellites and the global nanosatellite market Covers chemical and electric micropropulsion and the latest developments

A class of miniaturized pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT), known as MicroPPTs, is currently in development at the Air Force Research Laboratory. The MicroPPTs use a surface discharge across solid Teflon(TM) propellant to provide precise impulse bits in the 10 microN-s range. In the near term, these thrusters can provide propulsive attitude control on 150-kg-class spacecraft using 1/5th the dry mass of conventional torque rods and reaction wheels. Eventually these thrusters are designed for primary and attitude control propulsion on future 25-kg class spacecraft envisioned for such missions as formation flying sparse aperture arrays for space-based surveillance, on-orbit satellite servicing, and space control. A synopsis of the status of the thruster is presented, discussing development, lifetime, performance, and environmental testing.

Throughout most of the twentieth century, electric propulsion was considered the technology of the future. Now, the future has arrived. This important new book explains the fundamentals of electric propulsion for spacecraft and describes in detail the physics and characteristics of the two major electric thrusters in use today, ion and Hall thrusters. The authors provide an introduction to plasma physics in order to allow readers to understand the models and derivations used in determining electric thruster performance. They then go on to present detailed explanations of: Thruster principles Ion thruster plasma generators and accelerator grids Hollow cathodes Hall thrusters Ion and Hall thruster plumes Flight ion and Hall thrusters Based largely on research and development performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and complemented with scores of tables, figures, homework problems, and references, Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion: Ion and Hall Thrusters is an indispensable textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are preparing to enter the aerospace industry. It also serves as an equally valuable resource for professional engineers already at work in the field.

Space propulsion systems have a great influence on our ability to travel to other planets or how cheap a satellite can provide TV programs. This book provides an up-to-date overview of all kinds of propulsion systems ranging from classical rocket technology, nuclear propulsion to electric propulsion systems, and further to micro-, propellantless and even breakthrough propulsion, which is a new program under development at NASA. The author shows the limitations of the present concepts and how they could look like in the future. Starting from historical developments, the reader is taken on a journey showing the amazing technology that has been put on hold for decades to be rediscovered in the near future for questions like how we can even reach other stars within a human lifetime. The author is actively involved in advanced propulsion research and contributes with his own experience to many of the presented topics. The book is written for anyone who is interested in how space travel can be revolutionized.

Rocket and air-breathing propulsion systems are the foundation on which planning for future aerospace systems rests. A Review of United States Air Force and Department of Defense Aerospace Propulsion Needs assesses the existing technical base in these areas and examines the future Air Force capabilities the base will be expected to support. This report also defines gaps and recommends where future warfighter capabilities not yet fully defined could be met by current science and technology development plans.

A meso/micro scale liquid propellant thruster is being developed for small spacecraft. In this thruster, the liquid propellant was injected directly into the chamber tangentially along the combustor wall. Heat feedback from the flame, once ignited, decomposed and gasified the liquid propellant. The gasification process of the propellant produced a voflex flow in the combustor, which stabilized the gas- phase flame. Modeling studies with gas-phase injection of reactants have shown that the vortex flow creates various flow recirculation patterns depending upon the Reynolds numbers of the flows. Although the propellant of interest was a HAN based liquid propellant, initial studies were conducted with liquid nitromethane. Operation of the combustion chamber with pure nitromethane at chamber pressures as high as 30 atm was studied. To gasify and initially ignite a HAN based propellant, techniques that make use of the electrolytic character of the propellant were investigated. In particular, a continuous flow igniter with titanium electrodes and a gap spacing of 500 Inn was developed and studied. Results showed that a small voltage drop across the electrodes ignites the continuous flow, which can then be removed to achieve a steady-state decomposition process. Methods to further miniature, fabricate, and package the entire system will be investigated in the future.