I-Corps: Microfluidic Electrospray Thrusters for Small Satellite Propulsion

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为小卫星开发一种新的电力推进系统。卫星网络被用来更准确地预测自然灾害，提供更好的通信，并指导自动驾驶车辆以及许多其他全球关注的应用。有利可图的任务需要一个推进系统来执行轨道机动，比如最后的轨道插入，精确指向的姿态控制，以及阻力补偿，以延长任务的寿命或在任务结束时使卫星脱离轨道，这一要求将很快得到执行，以确保空间的可持续性。可用于微型卫星(100公斤以下的卫星)的推进系统很少。与其他电力推进系统不同，电喷雾推进器只需几瓦的功率就能有效运行，这使得它们非常适合微型卫星(100公斤以下)。与此同时，同样的系统可以扩大规模，用于更大的卫星(100-400公斤)。该行业正在转向系列化制造和以快节奏、低成本为导向的愿景来满足需求。这项技术有潜力满足严格的时间、成本、尺寸要求。和性能要求。这个i-Corps项目是基于小卫星电力推进系统的开发。该系统将为航天器提供主要推进和姿态控制，以执行广泛的轨道机动。模块化方法确保与新的空间工业相适应，在新的空间工业中，卫星星座要求系统可以很容易地集成到其平台中，并满足低成本和快速的要求。电喷雾推进器通过电场加速液滴和离子，产生推力。一个发射器产生的推力非常小，大约为0.5微牛顿，因此，数百个发射器必须同时工作，才能提供足够的推力来进行轨道机动。该项目开发了一种使用微电子机械系统(MEMS)技术制造发射器阵列的工艺。发射极阵列可以布置在任意大小的模块中，以满足特定的推力要求，并受益于MEMS制造的优势。这些发射器是内部湿润的，这意味着推进剂流经毛细管，在运行过程中固定在发射器头部，这是其他类型的电喷发射器所没有的理想特征，例如多孔式发射器或外部湿润的发射器。这种设计可能比其他方法具有更好的性能，因为发射器与微流控通道网络相结合，为正确运行提供必要的液压阻力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a new electric propulsion system for small satellites. Networks of satellites are used to predict natural disasters more accurately, provide better communication, and guide autonomous vehicles as well as for many other applications of global interest. Profitable missions need a propulsion system to perform orbital maneuvers, such as final orbit insertion, attitude control for precision pointing, and drag compensation to extend the lifetime of the mission or deorbit the satellite at the end of the mission, a requirement that will soon be enforced to ensure space sustainability. There are very few propulsion systems available for micro satellites (satellites under 100 kg). Electrospray thrusters, unlike other electric propulsion systems, can operate efficiently with only a few watts of power, which makes them very suitable for microsatellites (under 100 kg). At the same time, the same system can be scaled up and used for larger satellites (100-400 kg). The industry is shifting to serial manufacturing and a fast-paced, low-cost oriented vision to fulfill the demand. This technology has the potential to meet the strict time, cost, size. and performance requirements.This I-Corps project is based on the development of an electric propulsion system for small satellites. The system will provide the spacecraft with primary propulsion and attitude control to perform a wide range of orbital maneuvers. The modular approach ensures a fit with the new space industry, where constellations of satellites require systems that can be easily integrated into their platforms and that meet the low-cost and quick time requirements. Electrospray thrusters accelerate droplets and ions through an electric field, producing thrust. The thrust produced by one emitter is very low, in the order of 0.5 µN, therefore, hundreds of emitters must operate simultaneously to provide enough thrust to perform orbital maneuvers. This project develops a process to manufacture arrays of emitters using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The emitter arrays can be arranged in modules of arbitrary sizes to meet specific thrust requirements and benefit from the advantages of MEMS manufacturing. These emitters are internally wetted, which means that the propellant flows through a capillary and it is anchored at the emitter head during operation, a desirable feature that is not found in other types of electrospray emitters, such as porous emitters or externally wetted emitters. This design may have better performances than other approaches because the emitters are coupled with a network of microfluidic channels that provide the necessary hydraulic resistance for correct operation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.