High Efficiency Pulsed Plasma Thruster for Satellite Attitude Control and Maneuver

Abstract

The primary objective of this project was to develop Gas-Fed Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (GF-PPT) that can be used with water vapor or hydrazine as fuel, with vapor pressures of less than 1 Torr necessary to operate the thruster. This propulsion technology can be used to perform orbit phase changes or plane (inclination) changes for near and intermediate-earth orbit satellites. GF-PPT technology is particularly suited for large DELTA-V, in-plane, orbit phase changes. This technology can therefore complement resistojet technology and allow rapid constellation redeployment to insure prompt satellite coverage of conflicts at any location on the surface of the earth with a constellation of satellites optimized for minimum size and cost. This report discusses GF-PPT thruster performance scaling, as well as hardware and power electronics that were developed in this project.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA411137

Entities

People

  • Jonah Jacob
  • Praveen Choudhary
  • Rodney Petr

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Capacitance
  • Efficiency
  • Electronics
  • Energy
  • Frequency
  • Geometry
  • High Voltage
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Power Electronics
  • Power Supplies
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Pulsed Plasma Thrusters
  • Satellite Attitude Control
  • Satellite Orientation
  • Spacecraft
  • Thrusters

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Satellites