A high-precision and near-zero residue laser-controlled gel propellant

Abstract

Micro-nano satellites, with their advantages of small size, low power consumption, short development cycles, and capability for formation flying and networking, play a significant role in scientific research, national defense, and commercial applications. However, currently developed micro-nano satellites globally possess very limited maneuverability and lack effective attitude and orbit propulsion control. Solid propellants can offer some advantages such as high energy density and low cost, and they are extensively used in micro-and nano satellite propulsion systems. However, most of these propellants exhibit poor controllability and produce massive amounts of residual by-products. Laser-controlled gel propellants have been confirmed to be the most effective solution to address these issues in this study. The present study exhibits the preparation of ADN-based laser-controlled gel propellants using the freeze–thaw method and their controllable combustion characteristics under laser irradiation. The results show that the ignition delay time of gel propellants decreases from 93.0 ms to 34.6 ms, the extinction delay time is stable at around 2 ms, and the average burning rate increases from 0.6 mm/s to 1.5 mm/s under continuous laser irradiation with the power density ranging from 0.6 to 1.3 W/mm2. The average utilization rate of gel propellant is as high as 99.2 %. Upon testing, the residual solid matter was identified as unreacted propellant that had not been irradiated by the laser. Laser-controlled gel propellants represent a new type of energetic material that can be modulated to control its ignition, extinction, and burning rate. These capabilities overcome the challenges associated with the inability of traditional chemical propellants to extinguish and restart, thereby fulfilling the propulsion system requirements of micro-nano satellites.