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UA9FBV > SAT 21.03.04 17:12l 45 Lines 1548 Bytes #999 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS-081.05
Read: DB0FHN GUEST
Subj: Steam micro-propulsion demonstrated in-orbit
Path: DB0FHN<DB0RGB<DB0MRW<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<ER3KAZ<UA9FBV
Sent: 040321/1508Z @:UA9FBV.PRM.RUS.AS #:54159 [Perm] GATEWAY $:ANS-081.05
From: UA9FBV@UA9FBV.PRM.RUS.AS
To : SAT@AMSAT
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 081.05 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-081.05
SSTL has demonstrated in-orbit the use of a steam propulsion system onboa=
rd
the UK-DMC satellite, launched on 27th September 2003. The novel
micro-propulsion experiment used 2.06 grams of water as propellant. This
'green' propellant is non-toxic, non-hazardous to ground operators and
results in improved specific impulse over conventional cold gas nitrogen,=
at
a significantly lower cost.
During the first in-orbit firing, the thruster was pre-heated to 200
degrees. Pre-heating ensures that no liquid phase water is ejected, only
steam. The spacecraft experienced 3.3 milliNewtons of thrust over a 30
second period.
Designed and built in-house at SSTL, the miniature resistojet, weighing 1=
3
grams, uses just 3 Watts of power to heat the propellant, emitting steam
through a conventional rocket nozzle to generate thrust. The hotter the
propellant, the higher specific impulse performance achieved.
The experiment has demonstrated that:
* Water can be used as a spacecraft propellant giving a safe, low cost
solution, without performance loss over conventional cold gas nitrogen
systems.
* Low thrust micro-propulsion can achieve milliNewton thrust levels - a
useful range for nanosatellites (< 10 kg mass) and low cost CubeSats.
* A low cost micropropulsion system has been developed and flown in just =
8
months.
[ANS thanks SSTL for the above information]
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