Endurance testing and characterization of a novel candidate for CubeSat propulsion: The Advanced Cusp Field Thruster (ACFT)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a notable push for cost reduction in space applications, aligning with the growing interest in CubeSats. To unlock their full capabilities, propulsion is essential for executing complex missions. However, many propulsion technologies struggle to combine a low power-to-thrust ratio (PTTR), delivering sufficient total impulse, and providing high thrust, all within the limited space of a CubeSat. In this context, the Advanced Cusp Field Thruster (ACFT) emerges as a novel candidate, encapsulating all these crucial characteristics. To validate its performance of the thruster without the integration of a dedicated feeding system and a Power Processing Unit (PPU), a miniaturized development model of an ACFT underwent a 1650-hour endurance test, followed by a subsequent end-of-test characterization. This led to the achievement of a total impulse of 4400Ns and a maximum thrust of 1522±41μN at a specific impulse of 1035±41.4s, a PTTR of 29.5±0.8W/mN (without neutralizer), and an overall efficiency of 17.2±1.1% using krypton.