On-Orbit Testing of the EO-1 Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Zakrzwski, Charles; Benson, Scott W.; Sanneman, Paul; Hoskins, Andrew

doi:10.2514/6.2002-3973

Cited by 22 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…All-electric spacecraft, using EP systems for attitude control, have been studied since the early 1960's. The potential application of Teflon pulsed plasma thruster for attitude control has been investigated in [1], and later demonstrated in space by the NASA mission EO-1 [2]. An attitude control system based on high efficiency multistage plasma thrusters, exploiting a common…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

All-Electric Spacecraft Precision Pointing Using Model Predictive Control

Leomanni

Garulli

Giannitrapani

et al. 2015

Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recent technological advances in the development of electric microthrusters pave the way to the successful diffusion of all-electric spacecraft. Since pointing accuracy is a key requirement for space platforms, suitable control systems accounting for the peculiarity of electric on/off actuators have to be devised. In this paper, an attitude control system (ACS) for spacecraft equipped with cold gas and electrothermal xenon microthrusters is presented. The number of thruster firings, which has a key impact on the thruster lifetime, is explicitly taken into account in the control design phase. By adopting a model predictive control (MPC) approach, a cost functional including both fuel consumption and number of firing cycles is minimized at each time step, within a receding horizon scheme. The effectiveness of the proposed ACS is validated on a sample GEO mission and its performance is compared with different control laws involving on/off actuators.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

All-Electric Spacecraft Precision Pointing Using Model Predictive Control

Leomanni

Garulli

Giannitrapani

et al. 2015

Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recently, an electromagnetic PPT was successfully operated for pitch axis control on the EO-1 spacecraft. 3,4 A micro-PPT is another propulsion technology that has been designed at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for delivery of very small impulse bit 2,5 . This is a simplified miniaturized version of a conventional PPT with a thrust in the 10 µN range designed to provide attitude control and stationkeeping for microsatellites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma Generation and Near Field Plume of a Micro-pulsed Plasma Thruster

Keidar

Boyd

2003

39th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this work we report on progress in the development of models for a Micro-Pulsed Plasma Thruster (µPPT) and its exhaust plume. As a working example we consider a µPPT developed at the Air Force Research Laboratory. This is a miniaturized design of the axisymmetric PPT with a thrust in the 10 µN range that utilizes Teflon TM as a propellant. The plasma plume is simulated using a hybrid fluid-PIC-DSMC approach. The plasma plume model is combined with Teflon ablation and plasma generation models that provide boundary conditions for the plume. This approach provides a consistent description of the plasma flow from the surface into the near plume. The magnetic field diffusion into the plume region is also considered and plasma acceleration by the electromagnetic mechanism is studied. Teflon ablation and plasma generation analyses show that the Teflon surface temperature and ablation rate are strongly non-uniform in the radial direction and have a maximum near the central electrode. As a result the propellant surface has the form of a cone with an apex at the central electrode. Analysis predictions for the ablation depth as well as the ablation profile shows close correspondence to experimentally observed dependencies. Longterm operation is associated with propellant and central electrode recession. To this end a model of the plasma flow inside of the anode tube is developed. Some preliminary results are reported. Electron and neutral densities predicted by the plume model are compared with near field plume measurements using a two-color interferometer and good agreement is obtained.

show abstract

“…The Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) mounted on the Earth Observing-1 spacecraft was operated successfully in orbit in 2002 15 . The two-axis thruster system is fully incorporated in the attitude determination and control system and is being used to automatically counteract disturbances in the pitch axis of the spacecraft.…”

Section: B Recent Technical Accomplishmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%