Development of Mono/Bi-Propellant Propulsion System for Microsatellites and Planning of Space Demonstration

Abstract

We have been developing a propulsion system specialized for microsatellites by adopting the safest propellants of 60 wt% hydrogen peroxide solution with little-toxicity, low-cost, and easy-handleability properties compared to the conventional propellants. Thus, we have been developing a dual propulsion system for microsatellites capable to operate monoand bipropellant operation modes with the policies of SAFETY FIRST and EFFECTIVE COTS. Our goal is to complete the dual operations of mono-propellant mode with 1 N of thrust and 80 seconds of specific impulse and bi-propellant mode with 3 N of thrust and over 150 seconds of specific impulse, which realizes a wide range of thrust, impulse bit, and total impulse with a single propulsion system by switching the two modes. We already completed the mono-propellant mode with over 350 mN of thrust and 60 seconds with a catalyst of palladium, or 80 – 90 seconds of specific impulse with a catalyst of platinum, and also conducted combustion test of the bi-propellant mode on the ground and obtained the result of over 1,300 degrees C in combustion chamber of a thruster. We also conducted vibration test and self-decomposition test to install our propulsion system onto microsatellites, and passed the condition of a launcher. Our mono-propellant propulsion system was launched with a Japanese microsatellite Hodoyoshi-3 to demonstrate its probability, by executing its phase shift in orbit, and to conduct end-of-life de-orbiting. Now, our propulsion system is waiting for an applicable timing to conduct an injection in orbit.