Flexible piloted Mars missions using the TIHTUS engine

The present investigation points out the potential of continuously propelled spacecraft for piloted Mars missions and compares them to impulsive propulsion (chemical and nuclear thermal) and ballistic trajectories. Although the results are related to piloted Mars missions, the stated issues raised hold true for a broad range of space missions. It is demonstrated that the use of impulsive propulsion leads to inflexible missions and may result in long total mission durations. Meanwhile, the use of continuous electric propulsion not only guarantees short total mission durations of Mars missions with moderate masses but also results in highly flexible missions. These criteria can be met with a continuous electric propulsion system that provides a thrust level of 100 N and 3000 s of specific impulse. Great potential lies in electric hybrid thrusters. The high-power, two-stage hybrid plasma thruster TIHTUS is currently being developed at the Institute of Space Systems (IRS). Its technology including preliminary laboratory testing results are presented.     

Direct drive options for electric propulsion systems

Power processing units (PPUs) in an electric propulsion system provide many challenging integration issues. The PPU must provide power to the electric thruster while maintaining compatibility with all of the spacecraft power and data systems. Inefficiencies in the power processor produce heat, which must be radiated to the environment in order to ensure reliable operation. Although PPU efficiencies are generally greater than 0.9, heat loads are often substantial. This heat must be rejected by thermal control systems which generally have specific masses of 15-30 kg/kW. PPUs also represent a large fraction of the electric propulsion system dry mass. Simplification or elimination of power processing in a propulsion system would reduce the electric propulsion system specific mass and improve the overall reliability and performance. A direct drive system would eliminate all or some of the power supplies required to operate a thruster by directly connecting the various thruster loads to the solar array. The development of concentrator solar arrays has enabled power bus voltages in excess of 300 V which is high enough for direct drive applications for Hall thrusters such as the Stationary Plasma Thruster (SPT). The option of solar array direct drive for SPTs is explored to provide a comparison between conventional and direct drive system mass     

霍尔推进系统扭矩特性分析及应用设计

为降低霍尔推进系统产生的扭矩长期作用于航天器对姿态控制造成的干扰,对其扭矩特性进行分析和优化设计,通过对扭矩的产生机理进行模型化分析,得到了放电参数对扭矩大小及方向的影响关系。分析表明,1kW～5kW功率级霍尔推力器工作时,会产生量级为10-4N?m的扭矩,通过控制励磁电流方向可改变扭矩方向。针对典型的全电推进飞行任务,通过提出霍尔推进系统扭矩主动控制设计,实现了对系统产生的扭矩进行相互抵消或者叠加利用,降低了系统的应用风险。     

混合小推力航天器轨道保持高性能滑模控制

针对采用太阳帆、太阳电混合小推力推进的航天器，研究了其在日心悬浮轨道的保持控制问题。为解决已有控制方法中未综合考虑内部未建模动态和外部未知扰动的问题，以及进一步提高系统控制性能，设计了一种高性能滑模控制策略。首先，考虑模型不确定性，建立了混合小推力航天器在日心悬浮轨道柱面坐标系的动力学方程；其次，基于改进型条件积分滑模面和径向基（RBF）神经网络设计了控制律，结合自适应方法在线估计不确定参数；接着，将求取的虚拟控制量在推进剂最优条件下转换成实际控制量，即太阳帆姿态角和太阳电推进力；最后，数值仿真验证了上述设计方法提高了系统鲁棒性，减小了轨道位置超调，并且混合推进相比于单一太阳帆推进，在更短收敛时间内控制精度提高了4个数量级，相比于单一太阳电推进，一年可以节省约89.6%的推进剂。     

Performance enhancement using power beaming for electric propulsionEarth orbital transporters

Power requirements for an electric propulsion Earth orbital transport vehicle (EOTV), which can effectively deliver large payloads using much less propellant than chemical transfer methods, are addressed. The power beaming concept is described. Arcjets, magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters, and ion engines are covered. Power supply characteristics are discussed for nuclear, solar and power-beaming systems. Operational characteristics are given for each, as are the effects of the power supply alternative on the overall craft performance. Because of its modular nature, the power beaming can meet the power requirements of all three electric propulsion types. Commonality of approach allows different electric propulsion approaches to be powered by means of a single power supply approach. Power beaming exhibits better flexibility and performance than onboard nuclear or solar power systems     

Attitude and orbit control systems for the LISA Pathfinder mission

The main purpose of the LISA Pathfinder mission is to provide in-orbit validation of the critical technologies necessary for LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), aiming at detecting gravitational waves generated by very massive objects such as black holes. The spacecraft consists of a Science Module (SCM) and a Propulsion Module (PRM). The former performs the science experiment, and the later provides the propulsive capability to raise the spacecraft from the injection orbit to the operational orbit at around L1 and is then separated from the former. The Spacecraft Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) is actually composed of three distinct systems to fulfill the needs of the whole mission: – Composite AOCS, used to reach L1, aims at raising the Perigee through a succession of about 10 boosts performed with high thrust chemical propulsion; – Micro-propulsion AOCS takes over once the separation of the SCM from PRM has occurred and is based on micro-propulsion systems (micro-Newton electrical thrusters); – Drag-Free Attitude Control System (DFACS) is then used to perform science experiments. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the AOCS architecture, requirements, selected sensors and actuators, system design & evolution, and achieved performances. It focuses in particular on the Composite AOCS and the Micro-propulsion AOCS and will analyze the challenges of using micro-Newton electric propulsion.     

电弧喷射推力器化学非平衡数值模拟

为了准确把握电弧喷射推力器工作过程物理机理与特征,采用化学非平衡模型对不同压缩室直径下低功率氮电弧喷射推力器工作情况进行了数值模拟。模型考虑了工作过程中的分解反应、电离反应和复合反应,化学动力学模型为4组分,4反应的有限速率化学反应模型。采用二阶精度NND格式数值求解耦合电磁源项和化学反应源项的N S方程组,采用有限控制容积积分方法求解由麦克斯韦方程组推导出的电磁场方程。数值模拟的结果揭示了推力器内部电弧能量输入作用和高温电离气体的离解电离状况,给出了不同压缩室直径下推力器的推力、比冲和推进效率。结果分析表明,压缩室直径对推力器性能具有较大影响。     

POWOW: power without wires: a SEP concept for space exploration

Electric propulsion has emerged as a cost-effective solution to a wide range of satellite applications. Deep Space 1 successfully demonstrated electric propulsion as the primary propulsion source for a satellite. The POWOW concept is a solar-electric propelled spacecraft capable of significant cargo and short trip times for traveling to Mars. It would enter aerosynchronous orbit and from there, beam power to surface installations via lasers. The concept has been developed with industrial partner expertise in high efficiency solar cells, advanced concentrator modules, innovative arrays, and high power electric propulsion systems. The latest version of the spacecraft, the technologies used, and trip times to Mars are presented. The POWOW spacecraft is a general purpose solar electric propulsion system that uses new technologies that are directly applicable to commercial and government spacecraft with power levels ranging from a LEO power level of 4 kW up to GEO spacecraft about 1 MW. The system is modular, expandable, and amenable to learning curve cost projection methods     

Thruster design for position/attitude control of spacecraft

The objective of this work is to design the configuration of thrusters and valves of a propulsion system which should reject external and internal perturbations to control position and attitude of a spacecraft. As has been proved in a previous paper by Pena et al. (see ibid., vol. 36, no. 3, 2000), there exist configurations of 6 thrusters which can achieve this task, even under the failure of any one of them. Nevertheless, that previous result only presents analysis conditions and furthermore its implementation would demand also 6 valves, one for each thruster. Here we propose a design method that can solve the aforementioned problem with 6 thrusters/3 valves.     

电推进在静止轨道空间碎片减缓中的应用

研究了电推进在静止轨道空间碎片减缓中应用的可行性和效果。通过分析电推进中离子推进的技术特点、发展和应用,阐明了用电推进将静止轨道卫星在寿命末期移高到“垃圾轨道”是可行的。提出了电推进采用沿飞行方向的常值推力,以多次双脉冲变轨方式工作的方案,并通过仿真计算,得出了该方案中推力大小、工作时间、特征速度、燃料消耗量等参数的确定方法和量化性指标,验证了电推进应用在空间碎片减缓中的作用和效果。探讨了电推进以脉冲方式工作的工程实现方案．     

空间推力器用铠装热控器件技术研究发展概况（空间推进专刊）

空间推力器是调整宇航飞行器运行轨道和姿态的推进系统中的关键部件,为保证推力器启动温度和可靠运行,必须采用专门的热控设施。本文介绍了各类空间推力器的不同热控需求,重点阐述了目前空间推力器用铠装热控器件技术以及种类、性能和应用,总结了铠装热控器件的考核试验及判定指标,并提出了铠装热控器件技术的发展方向。     

空间推力器用铠装热控器件技术研究发展述评

空间推力器是调整航天器运行轨道和姿态的推进系统中的关键部件,为保证推力器启动温度和可靠运行,必须采用专门的热控设施。本文介绍了各类空间推力器的不同热控需求,重点阐述了目前空间推力器用铠装热控器件关键技术以及种类、性能和应用,总结了铠装热控器件的考核试验及判定指标,并提出了铠装热控器件技术的发展方向。     

霍尔推力器通道宽度对电离特性的影响

为了研究霍尔推力器通道宽度对电离特性的影响,采用以数值模拟为主、实验验证为辅两种手段相结合的方式。所建立的数学模型是基于蒙特卡洛方法的二维完全动力学粒子模型,实验选择了与等离子体无接触的光谱诊断方法。计算和实验两方面的结果都发现随着宽度的增加,电子电离工质气体的速率增加,电离更加有效,而且电离区域变得集中的规律。通过进一步的计算发现,电离特性的明显差异和电子与壁面碰撞频率随宽度增加而减小,电子温度随之升高有着密切关系。电子温度升高一方面会对电离特性起到促进作用,另一方面也会使电离消耗的能量增加。由于稳态时的电子温度是由电子能量平衡机制决定的,因此对电子能量平衡方程进行深入分析之后发现,在研究通道宽度影响电离特性这一物理问题上,电子在壁面上的能量损失是决定电子温度的主导因素,而电离损失仅属于次要因素,宽度增加有利于改善推力器的电离特性。     

离子推进器和流量控制单元

使用电动电源线确保使用电力,它等于几十千瓦。 建议它应该高达10000秒。 Keldysh研究中心（KeRC）正在开发推进系统。 35千瓦离子推进器和FCU-500流量控制单元。 IT-500和FCU-500的2000小时寿命测试是 离子推进器大部分运行2018小时,使用40千克氙气。 本文还介绍了磁场和离子光学的改进以及石墨网格的发展状况。     

大功率离子推力器和流动控制单元验证现状 及其2000小时寿命试验

为了发展基于电推进的大功率空间运输系统,需要开发和验证功率达数十千瓦的电推进系统,深空任务电推进系统优化的比冲要求高达10⁵s。凯尔迪什研究中心（KeRC）正在开发这样的电推进部件。本文概述了 35kW离子推力器 IT-500及其流动单元FCU-500的验证现状。作为其验证的一部分,完成了IT-500 和 FCU-500的2000h寿命试验。其中,离子推力器大部分验证条件是：输入功率17.8kW,使用了40kg氙,2018h寿命试验。本文介绍了磁场和离子光学以及石墨格栅开发现状。     

Ion engine grids: Function,main parameters,issues, configurations,geometries, materials and fabrication methods

Ion optics are crucial components of ion thrusters and the study of the different ion extraction solutions used since the beginning of the electric propulsion era is essential to understand the evolution of ion engines. This work describes ion engine grids' main functions, parameters and issues related to thermal expansion and sputter erosion, and then introduces a review of ion optics used for significant launched and tested ion thrusters since 1970. Configurations, geometries, materials and fabrication methods are analyzed to understand when typical ion thrusters use two or three grids, what are the thicknesses and aperture sizes of the screen, accelerator and decelerator grids, why molybdenum and carbon-based materials such as pyrolytic graphite and carbon–carbon are the best available options for ion optics and what is the manufacturing method for each material.     

A brief review of alternative propellants and requirements for pulsed plasma thrusters in micropropulsion applications

Technological miniaturization has enabled the development of small satellites weighing as little as 1 kg. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of suitable efficient micropropulsion systems at these scales. The pulsed plasma thruster is a structurally simple form of electric propulsion. This simplicity also makes it ideally suited for miniaturization. Its history can be traced back to applications in satellites that are much larger than micro/nano-satellites. The vast majority of modern pulsed plasma thrusters use solid polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a propellant. Unfortunately, at lower discharge energy levels such as those necessitated by the power limitations of micro/nano-satellites, PTFE has a tendency to exhibit carbon deposition, which can ultimately lead to thruster failure. In this new era of small satellites, it is important to consider alternative propellants in the miniaturization of pulsed plasma thrusters. This brief review discusses the needs and limitations of small satellites and alternative propellants that may be able to meet these needs. Such propellants may be able to offer advantages such as a longer thruster lifetime, a higher specific impulse, or a higher thrust-to-power ratio. This would enable the development of different types of pulsed plasma thrusters that can be tailored towards specific mission requirements.     

航天器交会对接模拟系统逼近过程自抗扰控制

航天器交会对接地面模拟系统用于研究航天器交会对接过程的动力学、导航与控制等方面的相关问题。模拟器通过气浮轴承悬浮在大理石平台上来模拟太空的无摩擦微重力环境。通常情况下要保证大理石平台足够水平,由于实际平台不可能完全水平,模拟器的重力分量会使模拟器产生下滑现象,这种现象对大型地面模拟器设备尤为严重。针对模拟器的逼近过程设计了轨迹规划。为了减小测量信号噪声的影响,采用跟踪微分器(TD)对整个逼近过程中的测量信号进行滤波。针对逼近过程中模拟器存在下滑力等干扰问题设计控制器,通过扩张状态观测器(ESO)实时估计干扰量,进而对干扰量进行补偿。对模拟器冷喷气推力系统制定了推力器分配策略,采用脉冲宽度调制(PWM)技术实现对推力的近似等效。提出的控制方法应用于航天器交会对接地面模拟系统,实验结果表明所提出的控制方法能有效消除下滑力等干扰的影响。     

基于离子电推进系统的航天器有效载荷能力分析

为预估与提高航天器有效载荷能力,结合航天运输系统理论与离子推力器放电模型,对深空探测任务中以离子电推进系统为主要动力来源的航天器有效载荷能力进行了分析。通过理论推导,构建并揭示了有效载荷分数与深空探测任务参数和电推进系统性能参数的函数关系与潜在联系。结果表明:动力装置单位质量越小,航天器所能达到的最佳有效载荷分数越大;有效载荷分数的高低与离子引出份额、原初电子利用率参数的大小以及任务时间的长短呈正相关;当离子电推进系统可以达到更高的载荷比时,则需要更高的工质利用率作为支持。     

Research on vacuum plume and its effects

In vacuum environment, the exhaust flow of attitude control thrusters would expand freely and produce the plume, which possibly causes undesirable contamination, aerodynamic force and heating effects to the spacecraft. Plume work station (PWS) is developed by Beihang University (BUAA) for numerically simulating the vacuum plume and its effects. An approach which combines the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method and difference solution of Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations is applied. The internal flows in nozzles are simulated by solving the NS equations. The flow parameters at nozzle exit are used as the inlet boundary condition for the DSMC calculation. Experimental studies are carried out in a supersonic low density wind tunnel which could simulate the 60-80 km altitude environment to investigate the plume and its effects. To demonstrate the capability of PWS, numerical simulations are performed for the vacuum plume of several typical attitude control thrusters. The research results are of great help for the engineering design.