Development of Electric and Chemical Microthrusters

M. Tajmar,C. A. Scharlemann

doi:10.1155/2011/361215

Abstract

The increasing application of microsatellites (from 10 kg up to 100 kg) as well as CubeSats for a rising number of various missions demands the development of miniaturized propulsion systems. Fotec and The University of Applied Sciences at Wiener Neustadt is developing a number of micropropulsion technologies including both electric and chemical thrusters targeting high performance at small scales. Our electric propulsion developments include a series of FEEP (field emission electric propulsion) thrusters, of which the thrust ranges fromμN to mN level. The thrusters are highly integrated into clusters of indium liquid-metal-ion sources that can provide ultralow thrust noise and long-term stability. We are also developing a micro PPT thruster that enables pointing capabilities for CubeSats. For chemical thrusters, we are developing novel micromonopropellant thrusters with several hundred mN as well as a 1–3 N bipropellant microrocket engine using green propellants and high specific impulse performance. This paper will give an overview of our micropropulsion developments at Fotec, highlighting performance as well as possible applications.

Highlights

The Aerospace Engineering Department at Fotec, the research company from The University of Applied Sciences at Wiener Neustadt in Austria has a long history in developing liquidmetal-ion-sources (LMISs) for space applications [1]
Since the late 1990s, our department focused on space propulsion applications, using the space-proven Liquid-Metal-Ion Source (LMIS) designs for field-emission-electric propulsion (FEEP) thrusters enabling ultra-precise attitude and orbit control required for highly demanding drag compensation [2, 3]
Over the last 5 years, our activities expanded in a number of other micropropulsion areas such as μPPT thrusters for CubeSats or chemical micropropulsion including the development of micro-monopropellant and bipropellant thrusters using green propellants

Summary

Introduction

The first test of an LMIS under microgravity conditions in space was performed during the AUSTROMIR mission in 1991. A number of scientific instruments followed, including the application of the ion source for active spacecraft potential control of satellites (ASPOC) as well as for a secondary ion mass spectrometer. Since the late 1990s, our department focused on space propulsion applications, using the space-proven LMIS designs for field-emission-electric propulsion (FEEP) thrusters enabling ultra-precise attitude and orbit control required for highly demanding drag compensation [2, 3]. Over the last 5 years, our activities expanded in a number of other micropropulsion areas such as μPPT thrusters for CubeSats or chemical micropropulsion including the development of micro-monopropellant and bipropellant thrusters using green propellants. Key performance specifications of all micropropulsion systems under development are listed in Figure 1 and Table 2

Electric Micropropulsion

Green Propellant Chemical Micropropulsion

25 Pressure and temperature gauges

Findings

Conclusion