Session
Launch & Propulsion
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
As small satellite constellations proliferate, the demand for safe, responsive propulsion systems has intensified to support agile orbital maneuvering. To address the lengthy startup downtimes of conventional systems, a 1U-class water-based ion thruster utilizing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma generation was developed. This thruster is characterized by a drastically minimized Time-to-Thrust (TTT), which maximizes the operational window for primary payload activities. Extensive ground testing established a robust baseline, demonstrating a 99.9% ignition success rate across 2,476 automated firing cycles with a highly reproducible median TTT of 73 seconds. Ground validations also confirmed an operational lifespan supporting a total impulse exceeding 7,000 Ns, alongside successful multi-unit clustering devoid of neutralization interference. The architecture's performance was definitively validated during a 2025 in-orbit demonstration in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) aboard the SpaceX Transporter 14 mission. Throughout the orbital campaign, the thruster achieved a 100% ignition success rate across 23 autonomous firing attempts, generating 5.24 hours of cumulative steady-state thrust. Thrust estimations derived from satellite angular velocity dynamics and internal ion beam current telemetry consistently verified an active output of approximately 0.35 mN, aligning precisely with ground design targets. Furthermore, flight data corroborated the system's rapid activation capabilities and demonstrated remarkable thermal robustness, successfully initiating plasma ignition at sub-optimal ambient temperatures ranging from 13.4°C to 17.3°C. Ultimately, this demonstration confirms that the water-based ECR ion thruster delivers consistent, rapid, and scalable propulsion, validating it as a highly effective solution for next-generation small satellite platforms.
Document Type
Event
In-Orbit Demonstration of PBI Water Ion Thruster: Rapid Startup Capability for Small Satellite Missions
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
As small satellite constellations proliferate, the demand for safe, responsive propulsion systems has intensified to support agile orbital maneuvering. To address the lengthy startup downtimes of conventional systems, a 1U-class water-based ion thruster utilizing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma generation was developed. This thruster is characterized by a drastically minimized Time-to-Thrust (TTT), which maximizes the operational window for primary payload activities. Extensive ground testing established a robust baseline, demonstrating a 99.9% ignition success rate across 2,476 automated firing cycles with a highly reproducible median TTT of 73 seconds. Ground validations also confirmed an operational lifespan supporting a total impulse exceeding 7,000 Ns, alongside successful multi-unit clustering devoid of neutralization interference. The architecture's performance was definitively validated during a 2025 in-orbit demonstration in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) aboard the SpaceX Transporter 14 mission. Throughout the orbital campaign, the thruster achieved a 100% ignition success rate across 23 autonomous firing attempts, generating 5.24 hours of cumulative steady-state thrust. Thrust estimations derived from satellite angular velocity dynamics and internal ion beam current telemetry consistently verified an active output of approximately 0.35 mN, aligning precisely with ground design targets. Furthermore, flight data corroborated the system's rapid activation capabilities and demonstrated remarkable thermal robustness, successfully initiating plasma ignition at sub-optimal ambient temperatures ranging from 13.4°C to 17.3°C. Ultimately, this demonstration confirms that the water-based ECR ion thruster delivers consistent, rapid, and scalable propulsion, validating it as a highly effective solution for next-generation small satellite platforms.
