This project will develop a solid-propellant micro colloid thruster for use in micro/nanosats, especially those based on the standard 1U CubeSAT configuration. None of the nanosats launched so far have had onboard propulsion, even though it would have been useful for attitude control and to keep the nanosat on a specific flight path. For this reason, the micro colloid thruster system to be developed by TDA will greatly increase nanosat performance and especially, the functionality of constellations of nanosats where precise positioning to one another is extremely important. We will utilize our technical results and Aerojet's thruster manufacturing model to support their marketing of our micro colloid thruster to NASA and other organizations currently developing nanosat systems.
Agencies other than NASA have also been exploring the use of nanosats. For example, the Army Space and Missile Defense Command - Operational Nanosatellite Effect (SMDC-ONE) nanosats were recently launched into Low Earth Orbit and then used to transmit data from one ground station to another throughout the 35 day mission. However, the SMDC-ONE nanosats use permanent magnets for passive attitude control and therefore tumble as they orbit the earth, which compromises signal quality. The nanosats also have no capability to maintain orbit or transfer to a new orbit, which limits their mission duration to weeks rather than months or years if they are used in low earth orbits. Therefore, a near-term product improvement will be to replace the magnets with an active micro thruster system such as the micro colloid thruster proposed herein.
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