Multi-mode microtube-electrospray spacecraft propulsion
- Detailed Technology Description
- None
- Others
-
- *Abstract
-
Researchers at Missouri S&T have designed a multi-mode micropropulsion system that consists of an integrated chemical micro-tube thruster and electric electrospray thruster. The system is a single propulsion system (one propellant tank, one set of feed lines/valves, one thruster) that can be operated in either high-thrust, low-specific impulse chemical mode or low-thrust, high-specific impulse electric mode. If the tube is heated (~5 W, 160ºC) the propellant catalytically and exothermically decomposes to produce high-temperature gaseous exhaust species with a specific impulse of 230 sec (chemical propulsionmode). If instead a potential difference (~1000 V) is applied between the tube and an extraction electrode, ions and charged droplets are extracted from the ionic liquid propellant with a specific impulse of 1300 sec (electric propulsion mode). Other values of performance (specific impulse) may also be possible and more/less desirable dependent on mission needs.
- *Principal Investigator
-
Name: Joshua Rovey, Associate Professor
Department:
Name: Steven Berg, Graduate Student
Department:
- Country/Region
- USA
For more information, please click Here
