Boyd department of aerospace engineering, university of michigan, ann arbor mi 48109 in this work we consider several issues related to design of a micro pulsed plasma thruster mppt. This flow of electrons generates a strong electromagnetic field which then exerts a lorentz force on the plasma, accelerating. The model accurately calculates the position of the plasma and neutral mass sheets, mean exit velocity, thrust delivered and the mass of individual plasma sheet developed in ppts. Chris faranetta is raising funds for plasma jet electric thrusters for spacecraft on kickstarter. The laser ablation plasma thruster is a novel electric propulsion thruster, which combined the laser ablation and electromagnetic acceleration.
Pdf design of a micropulsed plasma thruster researchgate. Optimization issues for a micropulsed plasma thruster. The ppa was formed by a pair of oxygenfree high thermal. Design of a microwaveinitiated pulsed plasma thruster mippt ii acknowledgements i would like to extend my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the following people and departments. Pulsed plasma thrusters ppts came into existence more than five decades ago. Pulsed plasma thrusters buseks micropulsed plasma thrusters.
The laser plasma thruster lpt is a new microthruster for small satellites. A pulsed plasma thruster ppt is an electromagnetic thruster that utilizes a pulsed. Each unit contains all the necessary electronics ppudciu, requiring only power and command input from the. Ablative ppts using solid propellants provide mission benefits. They aim to use the cat plasma thruster to propel a 5kg satellite into deep space at 1th the cost of previous missions. The pulsed plasma thruster originates from the evolution of the vacuum arc switch. Ppts are generally considered the simplest form of electric spacecraft propulsion and were the first form of electric propulsion to be flown in space, having flown on two soviet probes zond 2 and zond 3 starting in 1964. Gepulste plasmatriebwerke oder gepulste magnetoplasmadynamische triebwerke englisch pulsed plasma thruster. Mini plasma thruster way better than rockets wired. The cubesat ambipolar thruster cat is a thruster designed as a propulsion system for cubesats. Apr 18, 2014 by considering particle, momentum, and energy balance equations, we develop a semiempirical quasi onedimensional analytical discharge model of radiofrequency and helicon plasma thrusters. The design and testing of a small inductive pulsed plasma thruster ippt is described.
The performance analyse of the pulsed plasma thruster. Edgar choueiri of the princeton university electric propulsion and plasma dynamics laboratory for extending an opportunity for me to. Gogliox university of michigan, ann arbor, mi, 48109, usa the cubesat ambipolar thruster is a new, electrodeless, permanent magnet, helicon thruster speci cally designed for the constraints of a nanosatellite. Ablative pulsed plasma thruster system optimization for microsatellites. It relies on a radio frequency antenna to create a plasma in a ceramic liner. Its long been a dream to send humans to mars but how will we possibly afford it. Chapter 4 ion thruster plasma generators ion thrusters are characterized by the electrostatic acceleration of ions extracted from a plasma generator. This breakdown and build of a simple plasma thruster should help you on your way. Uses a static electric field to accelerate a plasma.
Review of thermal pulsed plasma thruster design, characterization, and application. Pdf this publication presents the conceptual design of a micropulsed plasma thruster micropptand a propulsion module consisting. A micro pulsed plasma thruster ppt for the dawgstar. The pulsed plasma thruster plays an important role in the propulsion system of small satellite, because of its small bulk, light weight, compact framework, easy control and high reliability. Design and testing of a small inductive pulsed plasma thruster. A potential difference applied between a cathode and anode in different geometric configurations leads to current flowing over a teflon surface. Pulsed plasma thrusters for small satellites surrey.
It is classified as a cusped field thruster cft, which refers to the geometry of the magnetic field that influences the flow of electrons and ions. Static magnetic field are sometimes used to help confine the plasma, but they are not used for acceleration. Oct 11, 2017 chris faranetta is raising funds for plasma jet electric thrusters for spacecraft on kickstarter. Ppts have been in development since 2002 based upon technology originally developed at afrl. May 04, 2016 before you unlock antimatter reactors, it is very difficult to get a decent amount of thrust from a plasma thruster. The conceptual design is presented for a micropulsed plasma thruster ppt and a. Pulsed plasma thrusters for small satellites surrey research. To give insight into the propulsion mechanism of small. Pulsed plasma thruster journal of propulsion and power. Ppt is defined as pulsed plasma thruster very frequently.
A plasma space propulsion thruster has been designed. This is in contrast to ion thruster engines, which generate thrust through extracting an ion current from the plasma source, which is then accelerated to high velocities using gridsanodes. Design of a highenergy, twostage pulsed plasma thruster. Pulsed plasma thrusters use the same stuff thats on your frying pan to make spacecraft zoom around the. Lorentz forces directly to expel plasma and those that use magnetic nozzles to accelerate plasma. Boyd department of aerospace engineering, university of michigan, ann arbor mi 48109 in this work we consider several issues related to design of a micropulsed plasma thruster mppt. Magnetoplasmadynamic mpd thruster design yes, i know the name is scary, but the principles on which it works are relatively simple and are found in items that you use everyday. Plasma generation and application in a laser ablation pulsed. Jan 07, 2009 well, the propulsion system can be a bit tricky, especially if you plan on using plasma drives. An ablative pulsed plasma thruster with a segmented anode.
Rtgs have a good service history, but are still controversial. Pulsed plasma thrusters for atmospheric operation aiaa. The model is validated and discussed for two different ablative pulsed plasma thrusters. A prototype electric pulsed plasma jet thruster for reliable, high performance, low cost interplanetary space transportation. Optimization issues for a micro pulsed plasma thruster michael keidar and iain d. Numerical studies of wall plasma interactions and ionization phenomena in an ablative pulsed plasma thruster physics of plasmas, vol. Evaluation of alternate propellants for pulsed plasma thrusters. Pdf this publication presents the conceptual design of a micropulsed plasma thruster micropptand a propulsion module consisting of eight. Pavarina a cisas university of padua via venezia 15 351 padova italy. We report on development and testing of a prototype lpt. American institute of aeronautics and astronautics 12700 sunrise valley drive, suite 200 reston, va 201915807 703. The result of that program is the earth observer1 eo1 ppt, which is scheduled to. Pulsed plasma thrusters ppts are highspecificimpulse, lowpower electric thrusters.
Well, the propulsion system can be a bit tricky, especially if you plan on using plasma drives. Before you unlock antimatter reactors, it is very difficult to get a decent amount of thrust from a plasma thruster. Design of a microwaveinitiated pulsed plasma thruster mippt. A plasma propulsion engine is a type of electric propulsion that generates thrust from a quasineutral plasma. Perspectives, frontiers, and new horizons for plasmabased space. Pulsed plasma thrusters ppts are considered an attractive propulsion option for stationkeeping and drag makeup purposes for mass and powerlimited. Thruster pulsing so far all the analysis of rocket and thruster performance has assumed steady flow most space thrusters e. This breakdown and build of a simple plasma thruster. Its ability to operate in highthrust or highspecific impulsion mode, as well as its specified service life of around 15,000 h, enables it to carry out orbit insertion and stationtostation missions for a wide range of telecommunication satellites, and to equip navigation or exploration satellites. Van noord1 nasa glenn research center, cleveland, ohio 445 as the next ion thruster progresses towards higher technology readiness, it is necessary to develop the tools that will support its implementation into flight programs.
The hall thruster stationary plasma thrusters spt 1, also known as hall effect thrusters het or thrusters with closed electron. Pulsed plasma thrusters nonequilibrium gas and plasma. Moreover a detailed feasibility study will be also conducted to evaluate the possibility of using the plasma thruster to heat and or decompose a secondary propellant. Optimization issues for a micropulsed plasma thruster michael keidar and iain d. While hall, ion, and pulsed thrusters have already been tested and currently. Pdf micropulsed plasma thruster design mqp researchgate. Figure 2 the eo1 pulsed plasma thruster system in 1995, nasa lewis research center initiated a program with primex aerospace co. Ablative ppts using solid propellants provide mission benefits through system simplicity and high specific.
Simulation of plasma behavior for medium propellant mass and. An ablative pulsed plasma thruster with a segmented anode zhe zhang1, junxue ren1, haibin tang2,5, william yeong liang ling3,5 and thomas m york4,6 1school of astronautics, beihang university, beijing 100191, peoples republic of china 2school of space and environment, beihang university, beijing 100191, peoples republic of china 3school of aerospace engineering, beijing institute of. Pulsed plasma thrusters ppts operate by striking a discharge using a spark plug. Pdf ablative pulsed plasma thruster system optimization. The thruster was modeled after an original diverging cusped field thruster dcft developed at mits space propulsion laboratory. Plasma jet electric thrusters for spacecraft by chris. Fundamentals of stationary plasma thruster theory springerlink. Pulsed plasma thruster how is pulsed plasma thruster. By considering particle, momentum, and energy balance equations, we develop a semiempirical quasi onedimensional analytical discharge model of radiofrequency and helicon plasma thrusters.
The pulsed inductive thruster is characterized of no electrode corruption and wide propellant choice. Ion thruster geometries are best described in terms of three basic components. Design of a microwaveinitiated pulsed plasma thruster. Plasma thruster fractalukkspinterstellar wiki github. Too bad it doesnt have a minihelicon plasma thruster on board. Simple design,complex matter petershawandvaioslappas surreyspacecenter,universityofsurrey,guildford,gu27xh,uk p. Mathematical modeling of liquidfed pulsed plasma thruster mdpi. The cubesat ambipolar thruster cat is a new plasma propulsion system which will push small spacecraft like cubesats around in orbit or far beyond the earth. Pulsed plasma thrusters are ideal for applications in small spacecraft for attitude control, precision spacecraft control, and lowthrust maneuvers. Pulsed plasma thrusters nasa facts national aeronautics and space administration glenn research center cleveland, ohio 4453191 fs200411023grc introduction pulsed plasma thrusters ppts are highspecificimpulse, lowpower electric thrusters. The best possible case using xenon, an upgraded fusion reactor burning pure he3, and an upgraded direct conversion generator will only produce 32 kn of thrust. The device was built as a testbed for the pulsed gasvalves and solidstate switches required for a thruster of this kind, and was designed to be modular to facilitate modification.
Plasma chemical and aerodynamical aspects yoshinori takao, takeshi takahashi, koji eriguchi, and kouichi ono department of aeronautics and astronautics, graduate school of engineering, kyoto university, yoshidahonmachi, sakyoku, kyoto 6068501, japan. The second area is the design, development, manufacture and evaluation of the pulsed plasma thruster for use on a nanosatellite platform known as the cubesat. Pulsed plasma thrusters use the same stuff thats on your frying pan to make spacecraft zoom around the universe. That may sound like plain old ridiculousness, but lets take a quick look at perhaps one of the simplest forms of the electric motor. The radiofrequency wave efficiently ionizes the xenon propellant and heats the electrons.
One way of reducing costs is to develop a new type of rocket engine one that doesnt use expensive chemicals. Pulsed plasma thrusters pfts offer the combined benefits of extremely low average electric power requirements 1 to 150 w, high specific impulse lo00 s, and system simplicity derived from the use of an inert solid propellant. That may sound like plain old ridiculousness, but lets take a quick look at perhaps one of the simplest forms of. Theoretical modeling and parameter analysis of micropulsed. This flow of electrons generates a strong electromagnetic field which then exerts a lorentz force on the plasma, accelerating the plasma out of the ppt exhaust at high velocity. A pulsed plasma thruster ppt, also known as a plasma jet engine, is a form of electric spacecraft propulsion. Pulsed plasma thrusters are ideal for applications in small spacecraft for attitude. Ppts were one of the first electric propulsion systems to be ever. The complex phenomena of electrothermal, electromagnetism and reciprocity of ppt make it difficult to improve the efficiency of the ppt.