Tomoyuki Ikeda

Research and development of pulsed plasma thruster systems for nano-satellites at Osaka Institute of Technology

In the Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric-Rocket-Engine onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES), a nano-satellite with electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) will be launched in the end of 2012, because the launching was delayed due to change of schedule of Indian PSLV launcher. The main mission is powered flight of small/nano satellite by electric thruster. This study aims at improvement in discharge stability by changing detailed configuration of PPT system. As a result, a new PPT head Flight-Model (FM), i.e., a nearly-optimized PPT head with high discharge stability was designed. From endurance tests with the two PPT head FMs connecting the PPU FM, the total impulse of each PPT head reached 5.0 Ns with no miss-firing. Finally, all interfaces among the PPT system, the onboard computer and the satellite electric-power BUS unit were completely accepted. An unsteady numerical simulation was also carried out to investigate physical phenomena in the discharge system including plasma and discharge electric circuit and to predict performance characteristics for electrothermal PPTs. Both the calculated impulse bit and mass shot agreed well with the measured ones. The calculated results of 40,000-shot endurance test agreed with the measured ones. Furthermore, the research and development of the 2nd PROITERES satellite with high-power and large-total-impulse PPT system are also introduced.

R&D, Launch and Initial Operation of the Osaka Institute of Technology 1st PROITERES Nano-Satellite with Electrothermal Pulsed Plasma Thrusters and Development of the 2nd and 3rd Satellites

The Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric-Rocket-Engine onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES) was started at Osaka Institute of Technology in 2007. In PROITERES, a nano satellite named the 1st PROITERES satellite with electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) was successfully launched by Indian PSLV C-21 rocket on September 9th, 2012. We developed Bread Board Model (BBM) and Engineering Model (EM) of the satellite, including electrothermal PPT system, high- resolution camera system, onboard-computer system, communication system and ground station, electric power system, attitude control system etc, in 2007-2009. Finally, the development of the satellite Flight-Model (FM) was completely finished in 2010. In this paper, we introduce the R&D feature and final checking, launch process and initial operation of the satellite FM including EP system. Furthermore, the research and development of the 2nd and 3rd PROITERES satellites with high-power electric thrusters, i.e., high-power electrothermal PPT and cylindrical Hall thruster, respectively, are also introduced.

Research and development of nano-satellite PROITERES with Electric Rocket Engines at Osaka Institute of Technology

In the Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric-Rocket-Engine onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES), a nano-satellite with electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) will be launched in the end of 2012, because the launching was delayed due to change of schedule of Indian PSLV launcher. The main mission is to achieve powered flight of nano-satellite by an electric thruster (EP) and to observe Kansai district in Japan with a high-resolution camera. We developed Bread Board Model (BBM) and Engineering Model (EM) of the satellite, including electrothermal PPT system, high-resolution camera system, onboard computer system, communication system and ground telemetry station, electric power system, attitude control system etc, in 2007-2009. Finally, the development of the satellite Flight-Model (FM) was completely finished in 2010. In this paper, we introduce the feature of the satellite FM including EP system. Furthermore, the research and development of the 2nd and 3rd PROITERES satellites with electric thrusters are also introduced.

Development of highly-functional nano/small satellites with pulsed plasma engines

In the Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric-Rocket-Engine onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES), a nano-satellite with electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) was launched on September 9th, 2012. The main mission is to achieve powered flight of nano-satellite by an electric thruster and to observe Kansai district in Japan with a high-resolution camera. We developed Bread Board Model (BBM) and Engineering Model (EM) of the satellite, including electrothermal PPT system, high-resolution camera system, onboard computer system, communication system and ground station, electric power system, attitude control system etc, in 2007-2009. Finally, the development of the satellite Flight-Model (FM) was completely finished in 2010. In this paper, we introduce the feature of the satellite FM including EP system. Furthermore, the research and development of the 2nd and 3rd PROITERES satellites with electric thrusters are also introduced.

Research and development of high-power high-efficiency hall-type ion engines for space exploration

High-power and high-specific-impulse characteristics of Hall thrusters were experimentally studied. Input power and specific impulse reached above 5 kW and 3000 sec, respectively. As a result, the specific impulse and the thrust efficiency were 3202 sec and 61 %, respectively, with 2.8 kW. Discharge current oscillation also increased by raising discharge voltage.

Research and development of high-efflciency and high-performance electric rocket engines for future space missions at osaka institute of technology

Electric rocket engines (electric thruster), in which electric energy is converted to kinetic one, are suitable for future long missions in space because they can achieve higher specific impulse, i.e., higher propellant serving than conventional chemical thrusters. At Osaka Institute of Technology (OIT), several kinds of electric thruster, that is, magneto-plasma-dynamic (MPD) thruster, direct-current (DC) arcjet thruster, pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) and Hall thruster, have been investigated and developed for future space missions. Furthermore, a nano-satellite with the electric thruster, the 1st PROITERES (Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric Rocket Engine onboard Small Space Ship), was launched, and the next satellites of PROITERES 2 and 3 are under development. We introduce recent R&D feature of electric thrusters at OIT. Accordingly, our all thrusters had high efficiency and high performance, and their systems are under development in practical use in space.

Research and development of high-efficiency hall-type ion engines for small spacecrafts

Development of Hall thrusters for nano, small and low-power satellites below 100W is expected. In lowering Hall thruster power, the cylindrical-type Hall thruster is more advantage than conventional coaxial-type Hall thrusters. In this study, a very low power cylindrical Hall thruster was designed, and the thruster performance was measured. As a result, a stable operation was achieved even with 10W. The specific impulse and the thrust efficiency are 1570sec and 18.1%, respectively, with 66W. Also, the discharge current oscillation was lower compared SPT-type Hall thruster.

Research and Development of Electrothermal Pulsed Plasma Thrusters onboard PROITERES Satellite

The Project of Osaka Institute of Technology Electric‐Rocket‐Engine onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES) was started at Osaka Institute of Technology. In PROITERES, a small satellite with electrothermal pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) will be launched in 2010. The main mission is powered flight of small satellite by electric thruster. This study aims at improvement in performance by changing configuration of PPTs. The total impulse of about 5 Ns was achieved with a Teflon® (poly‐tetrafluoroethylene: PTFE) cylindrical discharge room of 9.0 mm in length and 1.0 mm in diameter in 53,000‐shot operation with 2.43 J/shot. Finally, the engineering model of the PPT system was developed, and it is under operation as final test.

Ground‐Based Experiment of Current Collection to Bare Tether in High‐Speed and High‐Density Plasma Generated by Hall Thrusters

Bare‐tether systems are one of the greatest‐efficiency electrodynamic tethered systems. The system with an uninsulated portion of the metallic tether itself to collect electrons from the space plasma is operated as a thruster or a power generator on a satellite. Ground‐based experiments were carried out to understand phenomena of electron collection by a bare tether in space. Metallic tether samples were exposed to a simulating Low‐Earth‐Orbit plasma flow as varying tether sample diameter and length, and plasma velocity. A magnetic field was also applied. The normalized collection current increased with normalized tether sample potential. The tether sample diameter did not influence the normalized collection current characteristics although an increase in tether sample length decreased the normalized collection current in this experiment. The collection current characteristics were independent of plasma velocity under meso‐thermal conditions. The existence of magnetic field raised the collection current b...