All 2015 Content
Abstract
As the demand for highly capable microsatellite missions continues to grow, so too does the need for small, low power satellite technologies. One area which needs to be addressed is advanced propulsion systems capable of performing on-orbit maneuvers, station keeping and deorbit impulses with minimal propellant. A relatively low power Cylindrical Hall Thruster (CHT) is being developed at the Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) specifically to meet the low power and size requirements of microsatellite missions. The development of SFL’s sub 200 Watt, 26 mm ionization chamber diameter Hall Thruster will permit more capable microsatellite missions while minimizing the required propellant and thruster mass. The aim is to produce a CHT qualified to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 by the end of 2015. The first development phase focused on a highly configurable prototype design which facilitated optimization of performance parameters such as thrust, specific impulse and power consumption. The second phase incorporated lessons learned from prototype testing into the development of a proto-flight model. Subsequent work will involve packaging and qualifying a standalone flight unit including all electrical interfaces and the propellant feed system. Evaluations of alternative propellants such as Krypton and Argon against the baseline Xenon propellant will also be performed. This paper presents the test results from the low power Cylindrical Hall Thruster development campaign and discusses the status of the program and future plans.
A Low Power Cylindrical Hall Thruster for Next Generation Microsatellites
As the demand for highly capable microsatellite missions continues to grow, so too does the need for small, low power satellite technologies. One area which needs to be addressed is advanced propulsion systems capable of performing on-orbit maneuvers, station keeping and deorbit impulses with minimal propellant. A relatively low power Cylindrical Hall Thruster (CHT) is being developed at the Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) specifically to meet the low power and size requirements of microsatellite missions. The development of SFL’s sub 200 Watt, 26 mm ionization chamber diameter Hall Thruster will permit more capable microsatellite missions while minimizing the required propellant and thruster mass. The aim is to produce a CHT qualified to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 by the end of 2015. The first development phase focused on a highly configurable prototype design which facilitated optimization of performance parameters such as thrust, specific impulse and power consumption. The second phase incorporated lessons learned from prototype testing into the development of a proto-flight model. Subsequent work will involve packaging and qualifying a standalone flight unit including all electrical interfaces and the propellant feed system. Evaluations of alternative propellants such as Krypton and Argon against the baseline Xenon propellant will also be performed. This paper presents the test results from the low power Cylindrical Hall Thruster development campaign and discusses the status of the program and future plans.
