Post on 27-Mar-2021
Mariella Creaghan, Orland Lamce, and Cody Slater
14 October 2015
Six-Axis Monopropellant Propulsion
System for Pico-Satellites
MQP Final Presentation- 2
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Overview
• Background
• Spacecraft Capabilities
• Thruster System Design
• Ground Support Equipment
• Results
• Conclusion
MQP Final Presentation- 3
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
A Wide Variety of Satellites
Size
International
Space Station
419,455 kg
Hubble Space
Telescope
11,110 kg
Voyager 1 & 2
733 kg
“Small” Satellites
< 500 kg
Images provided by nasa.gov
MQP Final Presentation- 4
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Small Satellite Categories
Pico
(<1 Kg)
Nano
(1-10 kg)
Micro
(10-100 kg)
Mini
(100-500 kg)
MQP Final Presentation- 5
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
La
un
ch
C
ou
nt
Year
1 to 50 kg Satellite Launches
Projected Launches
Historical DataData from SpaceWorks 2014 Market Research Assessment
The Small Satellite Revolution
MQP Final Presentation- 6
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Monopropellant
Thruster
Cold Gas
Thruster
Reaction
Wheels
Laboratory’s Approach to Propulsion
Exhaust Thrust
MQP Final Presentation- 7
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Overview
• Background
• Spacecraft Capabilities
• Thruster System Design
• Ground Support Equipment
• Results
• Conclusion
MQP Final Presentation- 8
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
System Concept
Notional Thrust
Block
Dual Manifold
Central Feeds
Honeycomb
Mounting Shelf
Triad Valve
Arrangement
Cylindrical Fuel Tank
MQP Final Presentation- 9
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Propellant Selection
Hydrogen peroxide provides most versatile, economic performance for immediate
space flight
Volumetric
Impulse
(kg*s/m^3)
Ground
Infrastructure Test Precautions Attainability Flight Proven
Nitrogen Gas 33,314 Moderate Minimal Easy Often Used
Hydrogen
Peroxide 215,298 Moderate Highly reactive Easy Popular in 1960s
Hydrazine 234,600 Extreme Carcinogenic Moderate Standard
MQP Final Presentation- 10
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Picosatellite Propulsion Objectives
Goal: To create an adaptable and reliable propulsion system concept for use in a
wide range of picosatellite geometries.
• Acceleration ~ 1 m/s2
• Slew rate 32 °/s
• Response time < 1 second
MQP Final Presentation- 11
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Overview
• Background
• Spacecraft Capabilities
• Thruster System Design
• Ground Support Equipment
• Results
• Conclusion
MQP Final Presentation- 12
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
1. Ensure the safety of all team members throughout each stage of testing
Objectives
2. Design, fabricate, assemble, and calibrate all manner of required ground support equipment
3. Proof test the integrated component and system performance for functionality 4. Perform empirical experiments to optimize the length of a catalyst bed with a specified geometry 5. Live-fire the complete system and characterize the resulting steady state performance
MQP Final Presentation- 13
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
• Increases reaction rate
• Pure silver catalyst
• Activation procedure
• Microchannel design
• Maximum surface area
• Length estimated with scaling
• Analytical model started
Catalyst Bed
ΔX
H2O2
H2O
O2
MQP Final Presentation- 14
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Nozzle Configuration
AER = 10
Dt = 1.162 mm
L = 3.862 mm
α = 18° Chamber
.776 𝒈
𝒔 689,000 Pa
1219 K
D2 = 3.670 mm
Atmosphere
7,158 Pa
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MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Thruster Block Design
Thermocouple
Catalyst Bed
Nozzle
H2O2 Flow
MQP Final Presentation- 16
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Catalyst Block Design
Flow
Catalyst Bed
Thermocouple
Pressure
Sensor
MQP Final Presentation- 17
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Overview
• Background
• Spacecraft Capabilities
• Thruster System Design
• Ground Support Equipment
• Results
• Conclusion
MQP Final Presentation- 18
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
System Layout
Syringe Pump
Relief
Valve
Pressure
Sensor Loading
Valves
Control
Valve Thrust
Block
MQP Final Presentation- 19
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Thrust Stand
Exhaust Thrust Reaction Force
.21 m
x
y
Thrust Block
Torque Sensor
Counter Weight
MQP Final Presentation- 20
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Overview
• Background
• Spacecraft Capabilities
• Thruster System Design
• Ground Support Equipment
• Results
• Conclusion
MQP Final Presentation- 21
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
• Safety Precautions
• Calibrated:
– In-line pressure sensor
– Torque sensor
• Leak Tested:
– Nitrogen gas
– Helium gas
– Water
• Valve Operation Test
System Check and Calibration
MQP Final Presentation- 22
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Nitrogen Thrust Testing
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Catalyst Test
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MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Integrated HTP Thrust Test
MQP Final Presentation- 25
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Overview
• Background
• Spacecraft Capabilities
• Thruster System Design
• Ground Support Equipment
• Results
• Conclusion
MQP Final Presentation- 26
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
1. Safety
2. System setup
3. System proof test
4. Catalyst experiments
5. Integrated system test
Conclusions
MQP Final Presentation- 27
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
• Catalyst bed exploration
• Interface of flow into catalyst
• Continuation of thrust characterization
• Long term system improvement
Future Work
MQP Final Presentation- 28
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
• Jesse Mills
• Adam Shabshelowitz
• Kurt Krueger
• Sean Crowley
• Mark Seaver
• Sharon Hardiman
Additional thanks to: Mike Shatz, Dennis Burianek, Marc Brunelle, John Howell, Prof. Gatsonis, Prof. Clancy, Professor Blandino, Jocelyn O’Brien, Gerald Johnson, Andy Kalil, Ted Bloomstein
Acknowledgements
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Questions?
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Backup Slides
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MQP Final Presentation- 32
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Torque Sensor Calibration
Omega TQ202 Reaction Torque Sensor
0-0.2 N-m range
y = 343.13x + 0.3231 R² = 0.9977
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
-0.001 -0.0005 0 0.0005 0.001 0.0015 0.002 0.0025
Ap
plied
Fo
rce (
N)
Output Voltage (V)
Calibration Curve
MQP Final Presentation- 33
MC, OL, CS 10/15/2015
Mounting Plate