The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system

F. Santoni; G. Manzoni; P. Miotti; F. De Grandis; G. Mosetti; E. Di Fabrizio

The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system

F. Santoni^*, G. Manzoni, P. Miotti, F. De Grandis, G. Mosetti, E. Di Fabrizio

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A cold gas micropropulsion system for attitude control, installed on the one liter nanosatellite URSA MAIOR, is described. The system uses nitrogen gas stored in a tank as a propellant, improving the specific impulse by heating the gas before it reaches the expansion nozzle. The most innovative components of the system are the microthrusters, manufactured on a few millimeters size silicon chip, which allows to obtain very low thrust levels at a high efficiency. The micropropulsion system design, integration and performance evaluation are discussed in the paper. The theoretical performance is compared with ground testing results, showing a very good agreement. The system can be scaled to the needs of different missions, giving thrusts ranging from 20μN to 2mN.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH ESA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPACECRAFT GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS
Editors	RA Harris, K Fletcher
Publisher	ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC
Pages	431-436
Number of pages	6
Edition	516
ISBN (Print)	92-9092-826-3
State	Published - Feb 2003
Externally published	Yes
Event	5th ESA International Conference on Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems - FRASCATI, Italy Duration: Oct 22 2002 → Oct 25 2002

Publication series

Name	ESA SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS
Publisher	ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC
Volume	516
ISSN (Print)	0379-6566

Conference

Conference	5th ESA International Conference on Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems
Country/Territory	Italy
City	FRASCATI
Period	10/22/02 → 10/25/02

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Aerospace Engineering

Cite this

Santoni, F., Manzoni, G., Miotti, P., De Grandis, F., Mosetti, G., & Di Fabrizio, E. (2003). The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system. In RA. Harris, & K. Fletcher (Eds.), PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH ESA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPACECRAFT GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS (516 ed., pp. 431-436). (ESA SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS; Vol. 516). ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC.

@inproceedings{b53b75693b3e42168e83a5befa313bc8,

title = "The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system",

abstract = "A cold gas micropropulsion system for attitude control, installed on the one liter nanosatellite URSA MAIOR, is described. The system uses nitrogen gas stored in a tank as a propellant, improving the specific impulse by heating the gas before it reaches the expansion nozzle. The most innovative components of the system are the microthrusters, manufactured on a few millimeters size silicon chip, which allows to obtain very low thrust levels at a high efficiency. The micropropulsion system design, integration and performance evaluation are discussed in the paper. The theoretical performance is compared with ground testing results, showing a very good agreement. The system can be scaled to the needs of different missions, giving thrusts ranging from 20μN to 2mN.",

author = "F. Santoni and G. Manzoni and P. Miotti and {De Grandis}, F. and G. Mosetti and {Di Fabrizio}, E.",

year = "2003",

month = feb,

language = "English (US)",

isbn = "92-9092-826-3",

series = "ESA SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS",

publisher = "ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC",

pages = "431--436",

editor = "RA Harris and K Fletcher",

booktitle = "PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH ESA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPACECRAFT GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS",

edition = "516",

note = "5th ESA International Conference on Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems ; Conference date: 22-10-2002 Through 25-10-2002",

}

Santoni, F, Manzoni, G, Miotti, P, De Grandis, F, Mosetti, G & Di Fabrizio, E 2003, The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system. in RA Harris & K Fletcher (eds), PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH ESA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPACECRAFT GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS. 516 edn, ESA SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS, vol. 516, ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC, pp. 431-436, 5th ESA International Conference on Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems, FRASCATI, Italy, 10/22/02.

The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system. / Santoni, F.; Manzoni, G.; Miotti, P. et al.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH ESA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPACECRAFT GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS. ed. / RA Harris; K Fletcher. 516. ed. ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC, 2003. p. 431-436 (ESA SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS; Vol. 516).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system

AU - Santoni, F.

AU - Manzoni, G.

AU - Miotti, P.

AU - De Grandis, F.

AU - Mosetti, G.

AU - Di Fabrizio, E.

PY - 2003/2

Y1 - 2003/2

N2 - A cold gas micropropulsion system for attitude control, installed on the one liter nanosatellite URSA MAIOR, is described. The system uses nitrogen gas stored in a tank as a propellant, improving the specific impulse by heating the gas before it reaches the expansion nozzle. The most innovative components of the system are the microthrusters, manufactured on a few millimeters size silicon chip, which allows to obtain very low thrust levels at a high efficiency. The micropropulsion system design, integration and performance evaluation are discussed in the paper. The theoretical performance is compared with ground testing results, showing a very good agreement. The system can be scaled to the needs of different missions, giving thrusts ranging from 20μN to 2mN.

AB - A cold gas micropropulsion system for attitude control, installed on the one liter nanosatellite URSA MAIOR, is described. The system uses nitrogen gas stored in a tank as a propellant, improving the specific impulse by heating the gas before it reaches the expansion nozzle. The most innovative components of the system are the microthrusters, manufactured on a few millimeters size silicon chip, which allows to obtain very low thrust levels at a high efficiency. The micropropulsion system design, integration and performance evaluation are discussed in the paper. The theoretical performance is compared with ground testing results, showing a very good agreement. The system can be scaled to the needs of different missions, giving thrusts ranging from 20μN to 2mN.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037815285&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:0037815285

SN - 92-9092-826-3

T3 - ESA SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS

SP - 431

EP - 436

BT - PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH ESA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPACECRAFT GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS

A2 - Harris, RA

A2 - Fletcher, K

PB - ESA PUBLICATIONS DIVISION C/O ESTEC

T2 - 5th ESA International Conference on Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems

Y2 - 22 October 2002 through 25 October 2002

ER -

The nanosatellite URSA MAIOR micropropulsion system

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this