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UWE-4: First Electric Propulsion on a 1U CubeSat — In-Orbit Experiments and Characterization

Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-236124
  • The electric propulsion system NanoFEEP was integrated and tested in orbit on the UWE-4 satellite, which marks the first successful demonstration of an electric propulsion system on board a 1U CubeSat. In-orbit characterization measurements of the heating process of the propellant and the power consumption of the propulsion system at different thrust levels are presented. Furthermore, an analysis of the thrust vector direction based on its effect on the attitude of the spacecraft is described. The employed heater liquefies the propellant for aThe electric propulsion system NanoFEEP was integrated and tested in orbit on the UWE-4 satellite, which marks the first successful demonstration of an electric propulsion system on board a 1U CubeSat. In-orbit characterization measurements of the heating process of the propellant and the power consumption of the propulsion system at different thrust levels are presented. Furthermore, an analysis of the thrust vector direction based on its effect on the attitude of the spacecraft is described. The employed heater liquefies the propellant for a duration of 30 min per orbit and consumes 103 ± 4 mW. During this time, the respective thruster can be activated. The propulsion system including one thruster head, its corresponding heater, the neutralizer and the digital components of the power processing unit consume 8.5 ± 0.1 mW ⋅μ A\(^{−1}\) + 184 ± 8.5 mW and scales with the emitter current. The estimated thrust directions of two thruster heads are at angles of 15.7 ± 7.6∘ and 13.2 ± 5.5∘ relative to their mounting direction in the CubeSat structure. In light of the very limited power on a 1U CubeSat, the NanoFEEP propulsion system renders a very viable option. The heater of subsequent NanoFEEP thrusters was already improved, such that the system can be activated during the whole orbit period.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author: Alexander KramerORCiD, Philip BangertORCiD, Klaus Schilling
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-236124
Document Type:Journal article
Faculties:Fakultät für Mathematik und Informatik / Institut für Informatik
Language:English
Parent Title (English):Aerospace
Year of Completion:2020
Volume:7
Issue:7
Article Number:98
Source:Aerospace 2020, 7(7), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace7070098
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace7070098
Dewey Decimal Classification:0 Informatik, Informationswissenschaft, allgemeine Werke / 00 Informatik, Wissen, Systeme / 000 Informatik, Informationswissenschaft, allgemeine Werke
Tag:CubeSat; NanoFEEP; UWE-4; characterization; electric propulsion; in-orbit experiments; power consumption; thrust direction
Release Date:2021/05/11
EU-Project number / Contract (GA) number:320377
OpenAIRE:OpenAIRE
Collections:Open-Access-Publikationsfonds / Förderzeitraum 2020
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung 4.0 International