Electric Propulsion For Small Satellites Orbit Control And Deorbiting : The Example Of A Hall Effect Thruster

Lascombes, Paul

doi:10.2514/6.2018-2729

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The ExoMG-nano propulsion system, also referred to as spaceware-nano, was developed and commercialized by Exotrail. The flight demonstration was conducted in the NanoAvionics R2 6U CubeSat launched in 2020 [2,204,205]. The EcoMG-nano is a fully The Hall current density (J Hall ) and thus the force on the ions (F ion ) are given as follows:…”

Section: Hall Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Propulsion Technologies for CubeSats: Review

Alnaqbi,

Darfilal,

Swei

2024

Aerospace

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This paper explores the wide-ranging topography of micro-propulsion systems that have been flown in different small satellite missions. CubeSats, known for their compact size and affordability, have gained popularity in the realm of space exploration. However, their limited propulsion capabilities have often been a constraint in achieving certain mission objectives. In response to this challenge, space propulsion experts have developed a wide spectrum of miniaturized propulsion systems tailored to CubeSats, each offering distinct advantages. This literature review provides a comprehensive analysis of these micro-propulsion systems, categorizing them into distinct families based on their primary energy sources. The review provides informative graphs illustrating propulsion performance metrics, serving as beneficial resources for mission planners and satellite designers when selecting the most suitable propulsion system for a particular mission requirement.

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Section: Hall Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Propulsion Technologies for CubeSats: Review

Alnaqbi,

Darfilal,

Swei

2024

Aerospace

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“…We only considered the reaction between a singly charged ion and neutral molecule in CEX, and used σ CEX = 4.2 × 10 −20 m 2 for water vapor [54] and σ CEX = 5.6 × 10 −19 m 2 for xenon [55]. Regarding the ionization reaction, we only addressed Reactions (10) and (11). These ionization reaction rates were computed as functions of electron temperature using the cross-section data in [38,39].…”

Section: Plume Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples have already been demonstrated in the orbit [10,11]; however, they are not yet generally used for practical applications. One of the causes is a number of additional constraints on the propellant selection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Demonstration and experimental characteristics of a water-vapor Hall thruster

et al. 2023

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Water is an attractive candidate for condensable propellants owing to its availability, handleability, and sustainability. This study proposes the use of water vapor as a propellant for a low-power Hall thruster, and experimentally demonstrates the feasibility of this proposal. Based on the performance estimation from the plume diagnostics, a thrust-to-power ratio of 19 mN/kW, specific impulse of 550–860 s, and anode efficiency of 5–8 % were obtained at an anode power of 233–358 W. From further efficiency analysis, the mass utilization efficiency of water was found to be the most deteriorated among the internal efficiencies compared to the conventional xenon propellant, which was consistent with the expectations from a small discharge current oscillation, large beam divergence, and increase in low-energy ions. Moreover, additional power loss via reactions unique to polyatomic molecules was indicated by evaluation of the ionization cost. In this experiment, the mass utilization efficiency was improved with an increase in the anode voltage from 200 to 240 V without degradation of the power utilization. This suggests that operating at a higher voltage is more suitable for a water-vapor Hall thruster.

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“…The new space stakeholders ask for more efficient and costeffective propulsion devices which enable precise and reliable orbital manoeuvres such as orbit modification, station keeping, drag compensation or accurate pointing [1][2][3] . The last decades showed an interest from the satellite industry into spacecraft cluster and mega-constellations of small communication satellite platforms 4,5 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Faraday cup sizing for electric propulsion ion beam study: Case of a field-emission-electric propulsion thruster

Hugonnaud

Mazouffre

Krejci

2021

Review of Scientific Instruments

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This contribution provides information about the sizing and standardization of a Faraday cup (FC) used as a plasma diagnostic. This instrument is used to accurately map the ion beam profile produced by an electric propulsion (EP) device. A Faraday cup is a cylindrical probe which uses an electrode, termed collector, to measure a current. Several studies have shown the relevance of adding an extra electrode, called collimator, to define the collection area and to minimize interactions with the ambient plasma. Both electrodes are encapsulated into an isolated metallic housing which prevent ambient plasma to disturb measurements. In this case study a field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thruster is used. FEEP technology uses electrostatic fields to extract liquid metal (indium) ions from a sharp surface and accelerate them to high velocities, providing thrust. The FEEP model used in this study is the ENPULSION NANO thruster from the Austrian company Enpulsion. We present results focusing on the sizing of a Faraday cup in terms of cup length, aperture diameter, collection solid angle as well as on material exposure to the ion beam. For far-field ion beam study of a FEEP indium based electric thruster our study outcomes show that a Faraday cup optimum sizing is a 50 mm long collector cup and a 7 mm wide inlet aperture. Moreover, shielding the repeller/collimator from direct exposure to the ion beam seems to greatly minimize perturbation during ion current acquisition. Lastly, to only measure the ion current a negative potential should be applied to the collector and repeller where the latter is the more negative. This study contributes to the effort on diagnostics standardization for EP device characterization. The goal is to enable repetitive and reliable determination of thruster parameters and performances.

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Electric Propulsion For Small Satellites Orbit Control And Deorbiting : The Example Of A Hall Effect Thruster

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Propulsion Technologies for CubeSats: Review

Propulsion Technologies for CubeSats: Review

Demonstration and experimental characteristics of a water-vapor Hall thruster

Faraday cup sizing for electric propulsion ion beam study: Case of a field-emission-electric propulsion thruster

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