Research on the neutralization control of the RF ion micropropulsion system for the‘Taiji-1’satellite mission

To achieve the neutralization control requirements of the radio-frequency(RF)ion microthruster(μRIT)in the‘Taiji-1’satellite mission,we proposed an active neutralization control solution that is based on the carbon nanotube field emission technology.The carbon nanotube field emission neutralizer(CNTN)has the characteristics of light weight,small size,and propellantless,which is especially suitable for the neutralization control tasks of ion microthrusters.The Institute of Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,in collaboration with Tsinghua University,has successfully developed a CNTN to meet mission requirements.On the ground,the feasibility of cooperation working betweenμRIT and CNTN was fully verified,as well as the simulation and experimental study of neutralization control strategy,which finally passed the engineering assessment test.Since the launch of‘Taiji-1’satellite on 31 August,2019,the RF ion micropropulsion system has successfully completed nearly one hundred test missions in space.The test results indicate that CNTN does not have performance degradation,and the neutralization control strategy is effective.

A brief review of alternative propellants and requirements for pulsed plasma thrusters in micropropulsion applications

Technological miniaturization has enabled the development of small satellites weighing as little as 1 kg.Unfortunately,there is still a lack of suitable efficient micropropulsion systems at these scales.The pulsed plasma thruster is a structurally simple form of electric propulsion.This simplicity also makes it ideally suited for miniaturization.Its history can be traced back to applications in satellites that are much larger than micro/nano-satellites.The vast majority of modern pulsed plasma thrusters use solid polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)as a propellant.Unfortunately,at lower discharge energy levels such as those necessitated by the power limitations of micro/nano-satellites,PTFE has a tendency to exhibit carbon deposition,which can ultimately lead to thruster failure.In this new era of small satellites,it is important to consider alternative propellants in the miniaturization of pulsed plasma thrusters.This brief review discusses the needs and limitations of small satellites and alternative propellants that may be able to meet these needs.Such propellants may be able to offer advantages such as a longer thruster lifetime,a higher specific impulse,or a higher thrust-topower ratio.This would enable the development of different types of pulsed plasma thrusters that can be tailored towards specific mission requirements.

Volumetric Langmuir probe mapping of a transient pulsed plasma thruster plume

The triple Langmuir probe enables measurements of the transient plasma parameters over time at a point of interest.We demonstrate how these measurements can be easily combined to obtain a visualization of the overall plasma behavior of a pulsed plasma thruster.Through this,it is possible to identify features in the expansion of the plasma such as the canting angle of the plume.We also identified the early arrival of a negatively canted low-density plasma plume.The 2D profiles also reveal data that would otherwise be obscured by other planes in optical measurements.