PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
Astrium is currently developing a new generation of Plasmic Propulsion Equipments to enhance the capabilities of its existing Civil Telecommunications spacecraft platforms.
There are three equipments within the ARTES 3 Line 2 PPS project;
- Alternate Thruster Module Assembly (ATMA) seen below
- Xenon Regulation and Feed System (XRFS)
- Corona Discharge Protection Sensor (CDPS)
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| ATMA with 2 x ROS2000. Hall Effect Thrusters | |
Challenges
The key design issues currently reside with the ATMA development. The ATMA offers a robust configuration capable of supporting many different plasmic thruster variants. To meet this goal the ATMA structure must minimise the transmission of sine and random vibration loads between the spacecraft and the thrusters on board the ATMA. The ATMA structure must therefore be designed to preclude dynamic coupling between the various elements of the ATMA and the spacecraft.
Plan
The development and qualification of the ARTES 3 Line 2 PPS equipments is critically linked into the supply of Astrium’s Eurostar 3000 spacecraft platforms. The XRFS will be the first flight application of the three equipments identified above and will be a part of the very first launch of Astrium’s latest generation of large platforms planned to begin service in 2003.
The CDPS is well placed to support flight programmes within the next 18 months and the ATMA within the next 2 years. All three equipments assist in further developing Astrium’s product portfolio, value add to the business base and improve interface and systems engineering capacities with such complex technologies.
Both the CDPS and the ATMA along with the XRFS will form the basis for future PPS developments within Astrium.
Current Status
Final Review / Qualification Review Status:
The ATMA/TPM qualification with regard to mechanical, thermal and life duration has been declared successful versus EuroStar 3000 applicable requirements. Final activities required to achieve full qualification for specific flight applications have been identified and reported during the development Qualification Review.