Concept Study of a Solid Propellant Magnetoplasmadynamic Microthruster
- Paper number
IAC-06-C4.P.4.09
- Author
Prof. Hector Brito, Instituto Universitario Aeronautico, Argentina
- Coauthor
Dr. Sergio Elaskar, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and CONICET, Argentina
- Coauthor
Mr. Livio Maglione, Argentina
- Coauthor
Mr. Raul Dean, Argentina
- Coauthor
Mr. Rodolfo Duelli, Argentina
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The Faculty of Engineering of the National University of Río Cuarto, 250 Km south of Córdoba City, is presently developing an Ablative Magnetoplasmadynamic (AMPD) thruster as a low cost-mass-power simple, safe and highly efficient propulsion option for nano/microsatellites orbit and/or attitude control. The purpose of this work is to perform a review of the activities related to the concept study phase as to date.
Different nano/microsatellites mission scenarios in LEO were investigated in order to establish most probable minimum thrust, maximum ΔV, and total impulse requirements. On the basis of a simplified one-dimensional model of the thruster and its magnetogasdynamic flow, system optimization activities were performed to obtain minimum mass design configurations complying with operational requirements and, especially, satellite bus power constraints. As a result, a baseline thruster configuration was defined able to give a 5 kg satellite a ΔV=200 m/s through a 100 µN thrust, using PTFE as the solid propellant, with 5 W input power. Technological characterization and sizing of the thruster were subsequently performed at a preliminary level and its feasibility was assessed on the basis of national technological resources. Technology demonstrators (breadboard class) at thruster subsystem and system level will be designed and built as a Laboratory Model; they will be tested either separately or in integrated sets, up to the fully integrated model for vacuum chamber testing of arc triggering and plasma generation.
Moreover, special attention was paid to the low cost implementation of the AMPD stationary thrust measurement, which led to a test stand concept based on a platform free to translate along one horizontal axis by means of two parallel, low-stiffness, flexural supports. Displacements are measured by means of piezoceramic transducers wired to very high input impedance electronics. The output signals are digitally processed for thrust determination.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-C4.P.4.09.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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