Innovative Miniature Propulsion System using Low-Power, Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster

目前，小卫星（小于100 kg）正在革新空间利用和发展，其关键技术之一是研制高性能、小型化的离子推力器推进系统。本研究的目的是实现这种先进的小型推进系统，并进行了各种科目，以了解微波放电等离子体（微波传输和等离子体密度分布），澄清推力器的特性（羽流，推力和推力噪声），并验证推进系统（长时间运行和气体系统的BBM）。这些研究的结论被用于设计和开发安装在一颗50公斤重的小型卫星Hodoyoshi-4上的微型离子推进系统。

These days, small satellites (less than 100 kg) are innovating the space utilization and development and one of the key technologies is the development of high-performance, small propulsion system using ion thrusters. The purpose of this study is to realize such advanced small propulsion systems and various subjects were conducted to understand the microwave discharge plasma (microwave transmission and plasma density profile), to clarify the characteristics of the thruster (plume, thrust, and thrust noise), and to verify the propulsion system (long time operation and BBM of gas system). The conclusions of these studies were utilized to design and develop the MIPS (miniature ion propulsion system) which was installed on a 50-kg, small satellite, Hodoyoshi-4.