Session
Technical Session IX: Propulsion
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The decrease of the force of the magnetic field in altitudes above Low Earth Orbits (LEO) drives the need for miniaturized propulsion systems that can provide attitude control. In addition, these systems are already needed for orbit maintenance, phasing and lifetime extension of small satellite missions, and could also help with end-of-life decommissioning and debris mitigation. The I2T5 cold gas thruster, an iodine-based propulsion system, will be integrated on the Robusta-3A mission, developed by the CSUM, along with several educational and scientific payloads, related to meteorology and technology demonstration.
The insights given on the development process of this mission are intended to provide enriching knowledge to the space community, mainly in three areas: small satellite missions design, when both scientific payloads and propulsion systems are used; off-axis primary propulsion systems, focusing on how to eventually overcome the problems related to attitude control and mission analysis of small satellite missions; the use of iodine as a propellant for scientific space missions, focusing on how to overcome the issues related to the use of this propellant, such as propellant bouncing, deposition on external surfaces and following corrosion risks.
An Off-Axis Iodine Propulsion System for the Robusta-3A Mission
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The decrease of the force of the magnetic field in altitudes above Low Earth Orbits (LEO) drives the need for miniaturized propulsion systems that can provide attitude control. In addition, these systems are already needed for orbit maintenance, phasing and lifetime extension of small satellite missions, and could also help with end-of-life decommissioning and debris mitigation. The I2T5 cold gas thruster, an iodine-based propulsion system, will be integrated on the Robusta-3A mission, developed by the CSUM, along with several educational and scientific payloads, related to meteorology and technology demonstration.
The insights given on the development process of this mission are intended to provide enriching knowledge to the space community, mainly in three areas: small satellite missions design, when both scientific payloads and propulsion systems are used; off-axis primary propulsion systems, focusing on how to eventually overcome the problems related to attitude control and mission analysis of small satellite missions; the use of iodine as a propellant for scientific space missions, focusing on how to overcome the issues related to the use of this propellant, such as propellant bouncing, deposition on external surfaces and following corrosion risks.
