SBIR Phase I: Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是创造可直接从地球大气层加油的可重复使用的卫星。与现有卫星相比，这些卫星将具有两个关键优势。首先，它们的飞行高度将大大低于目前的卫星，提供上级地球观测和卫星宽带通信质量。其次，它们将使可加油的太空拖船能够执行服务使命，然后下降到大气层加油。此外，通过在这些低轨道上飞行，卫星将在寿命结束时自然脱离轨道，使轨道保持整洁。最后，拟议中的太空拖船将减少对强大化学火箭的需求（用于发射和太空机动）。SBIR第一阶段项目拟研究卫星吸气式电推进。虽然在过去的几十年里，实现吸气式电力推进所必需的技术已经成熟，但一个可行的系统尚未得到证明。该项目将解决最后剩下的技术差距，以实现可行的吸气式电力推进系统，该系统将解锁200公里至300公里之间的超低地球轨道（ULEO）。推进系统包括一个电推进推进器，如霍尔效应推进器（HET）和一个收集大气的进气口。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to create reusable satellites that can refuel directly from the Earth’s atmosphere. These satellites will have two key advantages over the existing satellites. First, they will fly significantly lower than current satellites providing superior Earth Observation and satellite broadband communication quality. Second, they will enable refuellable space tugs that can perform a servicing mission and then descend into the atmosphere to refuel. Furthermore, by flying in these low orbits, satellites will naturally de-orbit at the end of life and leave orbits uncluttered. Finally, the proposed space tugs will reduce the need for powerful chemical rockets (for both launch and in-space maneuvers). This SBIR Phase I project proposes to investigate satellite air-breathing electric propulsion. While technologies necessary to enable air-breathing electric propulsion have been maturing for the last few decades, a viable system has not yet been demonstrated. This project will address the last remaining technological gap to enable a viable air-breathing electric propulsion system that will unlock access to ultra-low Earth orbits (ULEO), between 200 km and 300 km. The propulsion system consists of an electric propulsion thruster, such as a Hall Effect Thruster (HET) and an air-scoop that collects atmospheric air. This proposed project presents the first step in developing such a system.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.