The scientific community's recent interest in Field Emission Electric Propulsion for drag-free spacecraft represents a major breakthrough for this technology. While FEEP was traditionally intended as a candidate for the attitude control and fine pointing of small satellites, i.e., for mN level thrust missions, this new, previously unforeseen application opportunity is due to its capabilities in the very low thrust range (about 1 µN). A major project such as LISA, presently a candidate for the next cornerstone in Horizon 2000, features FEEP as a mission-enabling technology. Several other concepts have been proposed, ranging from AU baselength interferometry, to a spaceborne constellation of antennas for syntetic aperture radiometry to be used for high accuracy weather forecasting, to noiseless microgravity laboratories. A recent proposal to the Italian Space Agency highlights the benefits of adopting a Field Emission Electric Propulsion system for a Flight Experiment on the Equivalence Principle (FEEP2). As far as the concept is concerned, FEEP is a thoroughly proven technology. Tests in space simulators were extensively carried out at both the Electric Propulsion Laboratory of ESTEC and at Centrospazio, covering all of the thruster’s subsystems (ion emitter, propellant feeding system, neutralizer, power electronics). The basic hardware is ready to undergo a flight demonstration. This would open the way to several applications in each of three major areas: first, scientific spacecraft for fundamental physics, requiring unprecedented high performance drag-free controllers; second, microgravity laboratories; third, small satellites with accurate orbit and attitude control capabilities. This paper summarizes the state of the art of FEEP technology and outlines the technical characteristics of the hardware for a flight experiment. The feasibility of a low cost flight demonstration is discussed and a proposed approach for a dedicated spacecraft, based on a commercially available microsatellite bus, is presented.
A Flight Demonstration of FEEP: Electric Thrusters for Microgravity Laboratories and Drag-Free Spacecraft
MARCUCCIO, SALVO;ANDRENUCCI, MARIANO;
1994-01-01
Abstract
The scientific community's recent interest in Field Emission Electric Propulsion for drag-free spacecraft represents a major breakthrough for this technology. While FEEP was traditionally intended as a candidate for the attitude control and fine pointing of small satellites, i.e., for mN level thrust missions, this new, previously unforeseen application opportunity is due to its capabilities in the very low thrust range (about 1 µN). A major project such as LISA, presently a candidate for the next cornerstone in Horizon 2000, features FEEP as a mission-enabling technology. Several other concepts have been proposed, ranging from AU baselength interferometry, to a spaceborne constellation of antennas for syntetic aperture radiometry to be used for high accuracy weather forecasting, to noiseless microgravity laboratories. A recent proposal to the Italian Space Agency highlights the benefits of adopting a Field Emission Electric Propulsion system for a Flight Experiment on the Equivalence Principle (FEEP2). As far as the concept is concerned, FEEP is a thoroughly proven technology. Tests in space simulators were extensively carried out at both the Electric Propulsion Laboratory of ESTEC and at Centrospazio, covering all of the thruster’s subsystems (ion emitter, propellant feeding system, neutralizer, power electronics). The basic hardware is ready to undergo a flight demonstration. This would open the way to several applications in each of three major areas: first, scientific spacecraft for fundamental physics, requiring unprecedented high performance drag-free controllers; second, microgravity laboratories; third, small satellites with accurate orbit and attitude control capabilities. This paper summarizes the state of the art of FEEP technology and outlines the technical characteristics of the hardware for a flight experiment. The feasibility of a low cost flight demonstration is discussed and a proposed approach for a dedicated spacecraft, based on a commercially available microsatellite bus, is presented.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
