Liquid micro pulsed plasma thruster

• Authors: Agnieszka Szelecka , Jacek Kurzyna , Dariusz Daniłko , Serge Barral
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

A new type of pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) for small satellite propulsion is investigated, of which the most innovative aspect is the use of a non-volatile liquid propellant. The thruster is based on an open capillary design. The thruster achieved a thrust-to-power ratio above 45 μN/W, which constitutes a 5-fold improvement over the water-propelled pulsed plasma thruster, and which is also slightly above the performance of a similarly sized PPT with a solid propellant.

Keywords

EN

electric propulsion; pulsed plasma thruster; liquid propellant

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Nukleonika
• Year: 2015
• Volume: 60
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 257-261

Dates

published

1 - 6 - 2015

online

22 - 6 - 2015

accepted

24 - 3 - 2015

received

27 - 11 - 2014

Contributors

author

Agnieszka Szelecka

• Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM), 23 Hery Str., 01-497 Warsaw, Poland, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone]

author

Jacek Kurzyna

• Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM), 23 Hery Str., 01-497 Warsaw, Poland, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone]

author

Dariusz Daniłko

• Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM), 23 Hery Str., 01-497 Warsaw, Poland, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone]

author

Serge Barral

• QuinteScience SERGE BARRAL, 31/33 Rozbrat Str., 00-429 Warsaw, Poland

References

• 1. Barral, S., Kurzyna, J., Szelecka, A., Rachubiński, H., Remírez, E., Martín, R., Ortiz, P., Alonso, J., Bottinelli, S., Mabillard, Y., Zaldívar, A., Rangsten, P., & Koppel, C. (2014). First experimental characterization of a pulsed plasma thruster with non-volatile liquid propellant. In Proceedings of Space Propulsion Conference, 19–22 May 2014. Cologne, Germany.
• 2. Rezaeiha, A., & Schönherr, T. (2013). Overview of alternative propellants for use in PPT. In 29th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science ISTS, 2–9 June 2013. Nagoya, Japan.
• 3. Barral, S., Kurzyna, J., Remírez, E., Martín, R., Ortiz, P., Alonso, J., Bottinelli, S., Mabillard, Y., Zaldívar, A., Rangsten, P., & Koppel, C. R. (2013). Development status of an open capillary pulsed plasma thruster with non-volatile liquid propellant. In Proceedings of the 33rd International Electric Propulsion Conference, 6–10 October 2013 (paper IEPC-2013-291). Worthington, OH: The Electric Rocket Propulsion Society.
• 4. Koizumi, H., Kakami, A., Furuta, Y., Komurasaki, K., & Arakawa, Y. (2003). Liquid propellant pulsed plasma thruster. In Proceedings of 28th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Toulouse, France (no. 2003-87). Worthington, OH: The Electric Rocket Propulsion Society.
• 5. Koizumi, H., Kawazoe, Y., Komurasaki, K., & Arakawa, Y. (2005). Performance improvement of a liquid propellant pulsed plasma thruster. In Proceedings of 29th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Princeton, NJ (no. 2005-69). Worthington, OH: The Electric Rocket Propulsion Society.
• 6. Scharlemann, C. (2003). Investigation of thrust mechanism in a water fed pulsed plasma thruster. Ph. D. dissertation, The Ohio State University.
• 7. Krejci, D., Seifert, B., & Scharleman, C. (2013). Endurance testing of pulsed plasma thruster for nanosatellites. Acta Astronomica, 91, 187–193.
• 8. Haag, T. (1997). Thrust stand for pulsed plasma thrusters. Rev. Sci. Instrum., 68, 2060–2067.

Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/nuka-2015-0057