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COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Performance analysis of an additive-manufactured propylene-fed electrothermal thruster for small satellites
Submission Author:
Eduardo Seiji Suguimoto Miyazato Ferrer , SP
Co-Authors:
Eduardo Seiji Suguimoto Miyazato Ferrer, FERNANDO DE SOUZA COSTA
Presenter: Eduardo Seiji Suguimoto Miyazato Ferrer
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-2341
Abstract
The aerospace industry has recently expressed a growing interest in electric propulsion systems, especially for use in small satellite missions due to their small size and higher specific impulse when compared to chemical propulsion systems. The presence of a propulsion system on these spacecrafts is important to attitude control, orbital corrections and de-orbiting, rising significantly the lifespan of the machine. In order to meet these requirements, the Combustion and Propulsion Laboratory of the National Institute for Space Research (LCP-INPE) is developing an additively-manufactured resistojet thruster. This paper presents an analytical model to predict and optimize its performance. The advantages and limitations of the model are also discussed. Initial simulations suggest that the resistojet can deliver a specific impulse of over 65s with a thrust of nearly 60mN operating at low power (~200W). Higher values can be easily obtained by rising the heater temperature, lowering heat transfer losses, increasing the propellant mass flow rate or changing the propellant. The model is going to be validated against a series of performance tests at INPE’s atmospheric conditions thrust stand.
Keywords
Electrothermal Thruster, Micro-Propulsion, Resistojet, Micro-Resistojet, Small Satellites, Green Propellants, cubesat
