An Electric Propulsion System for the SSETI European Student Moon Orbiter
- Paper number
IAC-07-C4.4.09
- Author
Mr. Philipp Oettershagen, SSETI - Student Space Exploration and Technology Initiative, Germany
- Year
2007
- Abstract
This paper presents the efforts of the Stuttgart-based SSETI M\_EPROP\_B3 team to develop the first ever electric propulsion system to possibly fly on a student satellite, the Student Space Exploration \& Technology Initiative's European Student Moon Orbiter (SSETI ESMO). An introduction to the work of the student teams within SSETI is given. SSETI’s newest project, the European Student Moon Orbiter, currently a study approved by ESA for Phase-A and the first ever student built satellite planned to travel to the moon, is shortly described. The paper then concentrates on the unique challenge to design and build a complete ion propulsion system on a zero-money base. The therefore mandatory cooperation of the M\_EPROP\_B3 Team with the University of Giessen and the possible use of a propulsion system consisting of a RIT-15 Ion engine and a RIT-10 ARTEMIS Power Processing Unit is described. A Phase-A study based design overview is given together with actions upcoming in case of ESA approval for the later stages of the project. The ESMO-specific advantages/ disadvantages of such an electric propulsion system in comparison to the competing chemical propulsion option are presented and the progress of propulsion type \& student team selection in the forthcoming months is summarized.
- Abstract document