Title: A SIMPLE MARX POWER SYSTEM FOR PULSED PLASMA THRUSTERS
Abstract: propellant. Ancillary thruster components are a power This paper de.s&bes novel techniques to reduce the conditioning unit, an energy storage capacitor, and mass and volume of pulsed plasma thrusters which might ignition and telemetry circuitry. The most important be utilized in small spacecraft. The primary emphasis is components of the PP’T propulsion system am the high on more efficient capacitor energy storage, use of the voltage capacitor and the high voltage power supply. Marx technique for voltage multiplication, and mquiste Both of these can be reduced in size, weight, and volume switching technology. The Marx technique is with power train simplification, by using miniaturized demonstrated using a Hall-Ion thruster. Multilayer components and integrated circuits. ceramic capacitors are investigated for their use in pulsed In this paper, we have explored the use of a Marx plasma thrusters which use solid fuel. circuit to eliminate or reduce the need for high voltage power conditioning for both Hall-ion thruster and pulsed ODUCTIW plasma thrusters. The use of this technique mduces the The challenging missions that have emerged from need for high voltage power conditioning while NASA’s New Millennium Program requim that cost and simultaneously mducing the risk of high voltage spacecraft size reduction am the most prominent factors breakdown. spacecraft design. Further, reevaluation of mission perfotmance characteristics will require smaller launch Pm systems, higher launch frequency, new &orbit A description of the operating characteristics of the regulations, reduction of ground operation cost and pulsed Hall-ion tlrrustars has bee-n given by Hrbud and complexity, and precision positioning for formation Rose” and will not be rtpersed here. PPTS wue flying.’ Feasibility studies have been initiated to developed in the early 1960’s in both the United States investigate the needs of microspacecraft with respect to and Soviet Union. The Soviet Union launched a the development of key components used in propulsion planetary mission to Mars in 1964 which marked both and vehicle power? Although small spacecraft will be the first flight of a PPT and the first space application of severely power-limited, their propulsion systems must electric propulsion? Four years later, the United States provide on-orbit functions such as orbit raising and equipped the Lincoln Elxperimental Satellite &ES 6), adjustment, stationkeeping, orientation control, drag with a PPT to p&orm east-weat stationkeeping.” ‘Ihe make-up, orbit insertion, sun-synchronous orbit thruster opemted pafedly for five years on the LES 6 maintenance, etc.’ Since the largest portion of small spacecraft anl provided a thrust of 26.7 w with a satellite subsystem mass is the propulsion system wet specific impulse of 312 s yielding a total impulse of 320 mass, any improvements in thruster and power design N-S. Theenergystoragecapacitorintbepowertrain linked with miniaturization will yield substantial satellite stored an energy of 1.85 J which was dischmged across mass reduction. The key to integrating microthrusters the propellatu face. The bm&down voltage of the which are both light-weight and efficient into small accelerating elcctmdes ~116 about 13CNI V and the average satellites will be the ability to reduce the power power for the thruster was about 2.5W.’ Later, PPTs for conditioning requirements to an absolute minimum, both the Synchronous Mueo&qgical Satellite (SMS) while ensuring reliable, long-term performance. and LJ3 8/9 wee fully flight qualified, but never Two candidates which promise to provide some of launched. The PP’I’ for the LE!3 8/9 spacec&t M the above propulsion requirements am the Hall-Ion 300 @l thrust and loo0 s specific impulse at 25 W Thruster and the Pulsed Plasma thruster (PPT). The average power? pulsed operation of the Hall-ion thruster has been Although this eleuric pro@sion concept has discussed extensively by Hrbud and Rose.‘J This accumulated an impressive flight history over the past 25 thruster is capable of orbital changes and moderate thrust. year& development and technology growth have been The pulsed plasma thruster operates primarily in the stagnate since the mid 1970’s. The flightqualifurxi PPT micronewton range and is unique in utilizing solid SYStCm for the Lois 8.6 WaS Chosen to be the baseline for
Publication Year: 1997
Publication Date: 1997-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 2
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