| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TACHIBANA Takeshi Kyushu Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Eng., Associate Professor, 工学部, 助教授 (50179719)
TOKI Kyoichiro Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Dept. of Space Propulsion Research, Professor, 宇宙推進研究系, 教授 (40172142)
ARAKAWA Yoshihiro Graduate School of University of Tokyo, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Professor, 大学院・工学研究科, 教授 (50134490)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥38,110,000 (Direct Cost: ¥32,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,310,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥7,670,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,770,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥15,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,540,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥15,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥15,100,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPTs) are the promising on-board propulsion devises for the small and nano-satellite propulsion system owing to its simple composition, small impulse bit, light-weight, low power consumption and the following high reliability. In this research, the objective are focused on the trial manufacturing and its practical evaluations of the Teflon PPT to evaluate the thruster/system performances for the mission equipments of the μ-LabSat II satellite of NASDA. Laboratory Model and Engineering Model (EM) of the thruster head (including the propellant feed mechanism, contamination shield and so on), power supply, capacitor bank and chassis were manufactured and its overall dimensions are less than 1.5 kg of mass, 5 W of power consumption and A5 paper size. The evaluation of its propulsive performances (impulse bit, mass shot, specific impulse and efficiency), half million shot successive operation test, contamination estimation test using the contamination sample, and the thermal vacuum test, vibration test for the launch and on-orbit environments, were conducted. These results showed the sufficient performances and feasibility for the small satellite precise attitude/orbit control and the following satellite formation flying position keeping. Furthermore, by the observation of the plasma acceleration processes using high-speed camera, the details of discharge ignition, plasma generation, current sheet propagation and its ejection from the channel exit were obtained. The plume divergent phenomena and the thrust axis deviation, were also studied. In these experiments, it is obvious that the energy density deposited to the Teflon surface is the dominant parameter for the thruster performance.
Moreover, for the next generation of PPT R&D, the researches on the small impulse bit measurement equipment, PPT using liquid propellant, coaxial Teflon PPT and Teflon containing the metal propellant were also carried out.
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