PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The IFM Micro 100 Thruster is a 100W class thruster that can be clustered to higher thrust levels. It is an externally mounted thruster intended for orbit raising and station keeping of Small-Satellites including high LEO communication satellites, or station keeping, attitude control and momentum dumping of large Satellites. The Power Processing Unit required for the thruster can be either mounted directly below the IFM Micro 100 Thruster in a stacked configuration or can be separated and placed inside the spacecraft using a harness. The IFM Micro 100 Thruster is a metal based FEEP thruster using a passive flow management system, and therefore does not require pressure vessels. Due to the nature of the propellant, no moving parts are required, and the thruster is in an entirely inert, no-pressurized state during integration, testing and launch.
Challenges
The trade-off in terms of power was performed based on updated customer requirements regarding platform constraints.
The trade-off between propellant reservoir size, number of ion emitter and power was based on the parameters of customer input requirements, volume allocation, structural stability and total crown emitter throughput capability.
The trade-off for the extractor high voltage design is based on the requirement of high thrust, low Isp operation point which requires increased high voltage potentials to be applied to the extractor electrodes. The major trade-off is based on high voltage insulation considerations, structural stability, emitter-extractor electric field shaping and design heritage.
System Architecture
Design and Modelling of IFM Micro 100 Thruster: The detailed design of the IFM Micro 100 Thruster is conducted regarding function, thermal, structural and operational constraints to meet customer requirements. The design effort is supported by prototypes and engineering model testing.
Optimization of mass efficiency for low Isp operation: The goal is to evaluate the influence of manufacturing on the liquid Indium based Field Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) porous tungsten crown emitter performance. The focus is laid on the mass efficiency optimization of the ion emitters.
High Performance Emitter Manufacturing: Manufacturing technologies to improve the quality of emitters as well as improve the manufacturing performance of FEEP production are investigated and tested in this effort. This effort includes systematic characterization of manufacturing effects during production.
Improvement of Manufacturing Line: Improving the ENPULSION manufacturing line by incorporating the requirements received from customers regarding processes, documentation and PA requirements. Efforts undertaken comprise of the qualification of the processes for manufacturing indium emitters and the IFM Micro 100 Thruster.
Plan
The design, supported by modelling, will lead to passing a review validating the design changes. The high-performance emitter manufacturing work package be conducted in parallel and be concluded by a review showing the different leads pursued and results obtained.
After CDR, as the IFM Micro Thruster enters qualification and industrialization the manufacturing line improvement work package will be started. The mass efficiency optimization work is scheduled to happen independently as it is not expected to lead to major manufacturing or design changes. This work package will be close with the manufacturing line improvement at the end of the project.
Current Status
- The IFM Micro 100 Thruster has completed CDR, incorporating the changed architecture. This design effort was supported through modelling.
- Engineering model of the IFM Micro 100 Thruster has been tested in relevant environment.
- Several changes have been implemented in the production line of the IFM thrusters as part of a continuous improvement effort in raising quality and yield of produced emitters.
- Mass efficiency optimization efforts are currently starting
