Vacuum testing of a micropropulsion system based on solid propellant cool gas generators
conference paper
The number of micro and nano satellite projects is expanding. Main focus is on providing these small satellites with the same capabilities as today's larger satellites. In the field of propulsion, efforts are on miniaturization of the on-board propulsion system. This though presents major challenges to the designers. TNO Defence, Security and Safety, Delft University of Technology and University of Twente have faced those challenges, developing a commercial off-the-shelf cold gas micro-propulsion system, the T3µPS capable of providing a pre-set thrust level in the range 1 to 10 mN. It is based on a highly integrated feeding and thruster system and cool gas generators, which contain nitrogen stored in solid form. The Delfi-n3Xt triple unit cubesat, scheduled for launch in 2011/12, has been chosen as platform to test the capabilities of the T3µPS. To satisfy the Delfi-n3Xt requirements the T3µPS is designed to provide a thrust of maximum 6 mN, minimum impulse bit less than 0.1 mNs and a total impulse of 0.7 Ns. To qualify the T3µPS and verify that it meets the requirements, an extensive test campaign has been devised by TNO. This paper describes the requirements generated, the performance qualification test campaign conducted at Delft University of Technology, the test setup, the used instrumentation and the results obtained. A comparison with theoretical results is also presented. Copyright ©2010 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reserved.
TNO Identifier
430695
ISBN
9781617823688
Source title
61st International Astronautical Congress 2010, IAC 2010, Prague, Czech Republic, 27 September-1 October 2010 (Conference code 85176)
Collation
IAC-10.C4.3.12
Pages
4925-4933
Files
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