Development of low power electric propulsion aiming for small satellite applications

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin Satori ◽  
Hiroyuki Okamoto ◽  
Ted Sugiki ◽  
Yoshinori Aoki ◽  
Atsushi Nagata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Satellite Applications

scholarly journals A Review of Low-Power Electric Propulsion Research at the Space Propulsion Centre Singapore

Aerospace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
George-Cristian Potrivitu ◽  
Yufei Sun ◽  
Muhammad Wisnuh Aggriawan bin Rohaizat ◽  
Oleksii Cherkun ◽  
Luxiang Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Form Factors ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Earth Orbit ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Space Propulsion ◽  
Propulsion Systems ◽  
Small Satellites ◽  
Plasma Thruster

The age of space electric propulsion arrived and found the space exploration endeavors at a paradigm shift in the context of new space. Mega-constellations of small satellites on low-Earth orbit (LEO) are proposed by many emerging commercial actors. Naturally, the boom in the small satellite market drives the necessity of propulsion systems that are both power and fuel efficient and accommodate small form-factors. Most of the existing electric propulsion technologies have reached the maturity level and can be the prime choices to enable mission versatility for small satellite platforms in Earth orbit and beyond. At the Plasma Sources and Applications Centre/Space Propulsion Centre (PSAC/SPC) Singapore, a continuous effort was dedicated to the development of low-power electric propulsion systems that can meet the small satellites market requirements. This review presents the recent progress in the field of electric propulsion at PSAC/SPC Singapore, from Hall thrusters and thermionic cathodes research to more ambitious devices such as the rotamak-like plasma thruster. On top of that, a review of the existing vacuum facilities and plasma diagnostics used for electric propulsion testing and characterization is included in the present research.

scholarly journals Design of a high-stability heterogeneous clock system for small satellites in LEO

GPS Solutions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Damon Van Buren ◽  
Penina Axelrad ◽  
Scott Palo
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
High Stability ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Crystal Oscillator ◽  
Small Satellites ◽  
Clock System ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractWe describe our investigation into the performance of low-power heterogeneous timing systems for small satellites, using real GPS observables from the GRACE Follow-On mission. Small satellites have become capable platforms for a wide range of commercial, scientific and defense missions, but they are still unable to meet the needs of missions that require precise timing, on the order of a few nanoseconds. Improved low-power onboard clocks would make small satellites a viable option for even more missions, enabling radio aperture interferometry, improved radio occultation measurements, high altitude GPS navigation, and GPS augmentation missions, among others. One approach for providing improved small satellite timekeeping is to combine a heterogeneous group of oscillators, each of which provides the best stability over a different time frame. A hardware architecture that uses a single-crystal oscillator, one or more Chip Scale Atomic Clocks (CSACs) and the reference time from a GPS receiver is presented. The clocks each contribute stability over a subset of timeframes, resulting in excellent overall system stability for timeframes ranging from less than a second to several days. A Kalman filter is used to estimate the long-term errors of the CSACs based on the CSAC-GPS time difference, and the improved CSAC time is used to discipline the crystal oscillator, which provides the high-stability reference clock for the small satellite. Simulations using GRACE-FO observations show time error standard deviations for the system range from 2.3 ns down to 1.3 ns for the clock system, depending on how many CSACs are used. The results provide insight into the timing performance which could be achieved on small LEO spacecraft by a low power timing system.

scholarly journals A Review of Battery Technology in CubeSats and Small Satellite Solutions

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 4097
Author(s):  
Vaclav Knap ◽  
Lars Kjeldgaard Vestergaard ◽  
Daniel-Ioan Stroe
Keyword(s):  
Space Environment ◽  
Storage Device ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Dangerous Goods ◽  
Depth Of Discharge ◽  
The Status ◽  
Satellite Applications ◽  
Commercial Off The Shelf ◽  
Guidelines And Standards ◽  
Battery Technology

CubeSats and small satellite solutions are increasing in popularity as they enable a fast, cheap, and agile way for satellite applications. An essential component of nearly every satellite is the energy storage device, which is practically equal to a battery. Consequently, an overview of past, present, and future battery technologies for CubeSats is presented. CubeSats use typically commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) batteries. They are not primarily dedicated to space, so their suitability to the space environment needs to be evaluated. Batteries are also considered as potentially dangerous goods. Thus, there are guidelines and standards that specify safety criteria and tests for the batteries in order to be allowed for transportation and launch. Furthermore, the character of satellites’ missions determines their demand on batteries in terms of current rates, depth-of-discharge, and lifetime. Thus, these expectations are discussed. A market survey was also carried out to identify currently available commercial battery solutions and their parameters. This work summarizes the status, requirements, and the market situation of batteries for CubeSats.

Buck Converter and SEPIC Based Electronic Power Supply Design with MPPT and Voltage Regulation for Small Satellite Applications

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Darbali-Zamora ◽  
Nicolas Cobo-Yepes ◽  
John E. Salazar-Duque ◽  
Eduardo I. Ortiz-Rivera ◽  
Amilcar A. Rincon-Charris
Keyword(s):  
Power Supply ◽  
Voltage Regulation ◽  
Buck Converter ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Satellite Applications

scholarly journals Wireless Sensor Motes for Small Satellite Applications

2006 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 175-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naftali Herscovici ◽  
Christos Christodoulou ◽  
V. Lappas ◽  
G. Prassinos ◽  
A. Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wireless Sensor ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Satellite Applications

Energy Storage Technologies for Small Satellite Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 106 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith B. Chin ◽  
Erik J. Brandon ◽  
Ratnakumar V. Bugga ◽  
Marshall C. Smart ◽  
Simon C. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Small Satellite ◽  
Satellite Applications ◽  
Storage Technologies
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