MICROPROPULSION SYSTEM SELECTION FOR PRECISION FORMATION FLYING SATELLITES

Several of NASA's upcoming scientific interferometry missions (ST-3, LISA, TPFt etc.) are pushing the limits of precision positioning of satellites. These spacecraft will require position and attitude control actuation on exceedingly small scales, which has not previously been performed. The several candidate propulsion systems for these missions include: colloid thrusters, field emission electrostatic propulsion thrusters (FEEP), pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT) and miniature cold gas thrusters. In order to assess the appropriateness of each of the candidate micropropulsion systems, a model of each is constructed. The models created are conglomerations of basic physical concepts and empirically founded relationships. Emphasis is placed on the determination of key operating parameters that are most relevant to the systems level of design. Along with models of propulsion system performance, a common set of metrics is defined to allow varied concepts to be compared fairly. High-level propulsion system design has been performed for each mission, employing the propulsion models created. These designs are evaluated according to the metrics developed and judgements about the most useful requirements for which to use the different propulsion systems are made.

[1]  Raymond Bzibziak.  Update of cold gas propulsion at Moog , 2000 .

[2]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[3]  Mariano Andrenucci,et al.  Experimental Performance of Field Emission Microthrusters , 1998 .

[4]  Geoffrey Ingram Taylor,et al.  Disintegration of water drops in an electric field , 1964, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

[5]  N. Kanwisher,et al.  Communication Author: , 2003 .

[6]  Roger P. Linfield,et al.  Interferometer instrument design for New Millennium Deep Space 3 , 1998, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[7]  David W. Miller,et al.  Separated Spacecraft Interferometry — System Architecture Design And Optimization On The Basis Of A Cost Per Function Metric , 1999 .

[8]  John Zeleny,et al.  Instability of Electrified Liquid Surfaces , 1917 .

[9]  R. J. Cassady,et al.  Propulsion requirements and options for the New Millennium Interferometer (DS-3) Mission , 1998 .

[10]  Keith A. McFall,et al.  A PULSED PLASMA THRUSTER , 2022 .

[11]  Lee G. Mundy,et al.  The Submillimeter Frontier: A Space Science Imperative , 1998 .

[12]  William J. Guman.  Pulsed Plasma Technology in Microthrusters , 1968 .

[13]  Gregory G. Spanjers,et al.  Micropropulsion research at AFRL , 2000 .

[14]  Lee D. Feinberg,et al.  Space-based interferometric telescopes for the far infrared , 2000, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[15]  W. J. Guman.  Designing solid propellant pulsed plasma thrusters , 1975 .

[16]  Gary H. Blackwood,et al.  Optical delay line nanometer-level pathlength control law design for space-based interferometry , 1998, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[17]  Adam Pollok London.  A systems study of propulsion technologies for orbit and attitude control of microspacecraft , 1996 .

[18]  Mariano Andrenucci,et al.  The use of FEEP systems for micronewton thrust level missions , 1993 .

[19]  S. Zafran,et al.  Colloid Advanced Development Program. , 1972 .

[20]  James R. Wertz,et al.  Space Mission Analysis and Design , 1992 .

[21]  Graeme B. Shaw,et al.  The generalized information network analysis methodology for distributed satellite systems , 1999 .

[22]  Yiangos George Mikellides.  Theoretical modeling and optimization of ablation-fed pulsed plasma thrusters , 1999 .

[23]  Lee D. Feinberg,et al.  Scientific motivation and technology requirements for the SPIRIT and SPECS far-infrared/submillimeter space interferometers , 2000, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[24]  Peter J. Turchi,et al.  Optimization of pulsed plasma thrusters for microsatellite propulsion , 1999 .

[25]  J. Mora,et al.  The current emitted by highly conducting Taylor cones , 1994, Journal of Fluid Mechanics.

[26]  Robert J. Vondra,et al.  A Flight Qualified Pulsed Electric Thruster for Satellite Control. , 1973 .