Propulsion System Based on Ablative Pulsed Plasma Thruster for a Nanosatellite

Aeronautical and Space-Rocket Engineering


Аuthors

Gordeev S. V.*, Murataeva D. A.**, Popov I. A.***, Semenikhin S. A.****, Lyubinskaya N. V.*****

Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia

*e-mail: GordeevSV3@mai.ru
**e-mail: murataeva.dana@yandex.ru
***e-mail: popov-ivan20@yandex.ru
****e-mail: riame3@mai.ru
*****e-mail: LyubinskayaNV@mai.ru

Abstract

The article presents the layout of a propulsion system based on a low-power ablation impulse plasma thruster (APPT). This propulsion system is intended for use as part of a CubeSat-type spacecraft. Such propulsion system gives an opportunity to keep the spacecraft to orbit by compensation of the aerodynamic drag force occurring from spacecraft interaction with residual atmosphere gases, and the period of active existence of spacecraft increases thereby.
Besides, the propulsion system allows solving the problems of changing the orbit, the altitude and inclination, as well as changing the spacecraft position in orbit, which plays a significant role in the multi-satellite groupings creation. Thus, the jet engine application significantly expands the field of tasks solved by the ultra-small spacecrafts.
Analysis of the existing propulsion systems for ultra-small spacecraft has been performed and it has been demonstrated that ablation impulse plasma thruster is one of the most suitable classes of propulsion in this case due to the simplicity of the design, low cost of construction materials, ensuring a relatively low cost of the propulsion system with rather good integral characteristics of the thruster.
An ablation impulse plasma thruster consists of a discharge channel, propellant storage and feeding system, an energy storage unit, a power processing unit, and a unit for the discharge initiation in the thruster.
Experimental models of the thruster, feeding system and the unit for the discharge initiation were fabricated. Laboratory models of an ablation impulse plasma thruster, feeding system and the unit for the discharge initiation for it have been developed and manufactured, which are the prototypes of the components of the propulsion system based on APPT of 1U (100 х 100 х 100 mm) format. The models were tested in a vacuum chamber and the integral characteristics of the propulsion system were measured. The thrust was of 0.174 mN with a power consumption of 15 watts. The calculated total thrust impulse of this engine herwith is up to 400 N · s. This value significantly exceeds the total impulse of ablation impulse plasma thruster and thrusters with gaseous propellant developed to date for the ultra-small class spacecraft.

Keywords:

ablative pulsed plasma thruster, propellant storage and feeding system, power processing unit, energy storage unit, discharge initiation unit, spacecraft

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