FEEP-5 Thrust Validation in the 10-100µN Range with a Simple Nulled-Pendulum Thrust Stand: Integration Procedures

* Presented as Paper IEPC-01-288 at the 27 International Electric Propulsion Conference, Pasadena, CA, 15-19 October, 2001. † Copyright © 2001 by ESA. Published by the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society with permission A micro-thrust stand developed by the National Physical Laboratory under ESA funding has been characterized and calibrated in different working environments, adapted to vacuum operations and interfaced with FEEP thrusters in the ESA Electric Propulsion Laboratory in ESTEC. A number of complex technical problems have been encountered, analyzed and overcome. Impacts of necessary set-up modifications on the stand measurement limits have been discussed. Direct thrust measurements in the 10-100μN range have been demonstrated to be possible in the current laboratory environment, though sub-μN thrust levels have been measured during calibration on a massive granite seismic block in the ESA Metrology Laboratory. Tests on a FEEP-5 EM adapted to fit on the thrust stand are under preparation and first results are expected soon.