R&D, Launch and Initial Operation of the Osaka Institute of Technology 1st PROITERES Nano-Satellite with Electrothermal Pulsed Plasma Thrusters and Development of the 2nd and 3rd Satellites

Abstract

The Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric-Rocket-Engine onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES) was started at Osaka Institute of Technology in 2007. In PROITERES, a nano satellite named the 1st PROITERES satellite with electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) was launched by Indian PSLV C-21 rocket on September 9, 2012. We developed Bread Board Model (BBM) and Engineering Model (EM) of the satellite, including electrothermal PPT system, high-resolution camera system, onboard-computer system, communication system and ground station, electric power system, attitude control system etc, in 2007-2009. Finally, the development of the satellite Flight-Model (FM) was completely finished in 2010. In this paper, we introduce the R&D feature and final checking, launch process and initial operation of the satellite FM including EP system. Furthermore, the research and development of the 2nd and 3rd PROITERES satellites with high-power electric thrusters, i.e., high-power electrothermal PPT and cylindrical Hall thruster are also introduced.

Application and development of the pulsed plasma thruster

“…PROITERES1 PPT. PROITERES1 [17] is a 15 kg nanosatellite that was developed by the Osaka Institute of Technology. It is equipped with an electrothermal PPT system that can provide 5.4 Ns total impulse (50 000 shots at 1 Hz).…”

“…The plasma in inner-outer electrode coaxial PPTs is accelerated mainly by electromagnetic force, and the plasma in frontback electrode coaxial PPTs is accelerated mainly by gas expansion. In most papers, the front-back electrode coaxial PPT is called an electrothermal PPT [17] (figure 5).…”

“…The design schemes of the PPT systems presented in this section[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

Experimental Investigation on Plume Characteristics of PTFE-Filled Carbon, Graphite, Graphene for Laser-Assisted Pulsed Plasma Thruster

“…Meanwhile, a PPT is generally considered the simplest form of electric spacecraft propulsion and was the first to be used in space, having been flown on two Soviet probes (Zond 2 and Zond 3) from 1964 onward [5]. Thus far, several satellites have used a PPT as the propulsion system, including PROITERES [10], STRaND-1 [11], Pegasus [12], LingQue-1A [13], and TianTuo-5 [14].…”

Research and Development of a High-Power Electrothermal Pulsed Plasma Thruster System onboard Osaka Institute of Technology 2nd PROITERES Nano-Satellite

“…3 and the specification is shown in Table 1. Furthermore, the development of the 2nd PROITERES satellite was started in 2010 [9][10][11][12][13][14][15] . The image of the satellite is shown in Fig.…”