- 19208
- CORDIS - PROJECTS 02/12/2008
- RISULTATO


The objective of the research program is to design, optimize and develop a space plasma thruster based on helicon-radio-frequency technology and its application to a nano-satellite for attitude and position control. Moreover a detailed feasibility study will be also conducted to evaluate the possibility of using the plasma thruster to heat and decompose a secondary propellant. The feasibility study will asses the possibility of building up a combined-two-mode-thruster able to operate in the low-thrust high-efficiency plasma-mode and high-thrust low-efficiency secondary-propellant-plasma-enhanced mode. Only the plasma thruster will be developed and fully tested during this study. The main characteristics of the thruster are: Power 50 W Weight within 1.5 kg Thrust >1.5 mN Specific Impulse (Isp) >1200 s
The program will develop thought the following steps:
- Deep numerical-theoretical investigation through dedicated plasma-simulation tools.
- Extensive experimental campaign to validate codes, to investigate the physics phenomena involved and to proof thruster performance.
- The development of a thruster-prototype to be mounted on board of a mini-satellite to demonstrate technology feasibility,
- The study of all the critical issues related to the application to a mini-satellite
- the design and manufacturing of the mini-satellite mock up including all critical components
- analysis of scaling law to lower and higher power.
As a final results of the project, a detailed analysis will be conducted in order to evaluate the possible application of the thruster in space missions requiring low thrust accurate attitude and position control.
Start date: 2008-12-01
End date: 2011-11-30
Duration: 36 months
Project Reference: 218862
Project cost: 4.9 million euro
Project Funding: 3.57 million euro
Subprogramme Area: SPA-2007-2.2-02 Space transportation
Contract type: Collaborative project (generic)
Coordinatore: UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA - ITALY - FERRI, Francesca (Dr)
Altri Partecipanti
- NATIONAL AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY KHARKIV AVIATION INSTITUTE NAMED BY N ZUKOVSKIY - UKRAINE
- STUDIO PROGETTAZIONE E REALIZZAZIONE DI APPARATI ELETTRO NICI DI SELMO ANTONIO - ITALY
- CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS) - FRANCE
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA - ITALY
- OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AEROSPATIALES-ONERA - FRANCE
- KELDYSH INSTITUTE OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES - RUSSIAN FEDERATION
- LMS IMAGINE SA - FRANCE
- BRADFORD ENGINEERING BV - NETHERLANDS
- ROVSING A/S - DENMARK
- THALES ALENIA SPACE ITALIA SPA - ITALY
- AOES GROUP BV - ADVANCED OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING SERVICES GROUP BV - NETHERLANDS
- UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID - SPAIN
- ALMA MATER STUDIORUM-UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA - ITALY
- ENTE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E L'AMBIENTE - ITALY
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