The scientific community’s recent interest in Field Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) for drag-free spacecraft represents a major breakthrough for this technology. This new, previously unforeseen application opportunity is due to the capabilities of FEEP thrusters in the very low thrust range (about 1 mN). A major project, the Laser Interferometer Spaceborne Antenna (LISA), presently scheduled as a cornerstone in the ESA Horizon 2000+ programme, 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 synthetic aperture radiometry to be used for high accuracy weather forecasting, to noiseless microgravity laboratories. Also, a proposed small scientific mission (Galileo Galilei - GG), presently being studied under Italian Space Agency’s funding, addresses the Equivalence Principle validity with a spinning drag-free satellite. This renewed interest in FEEP has lead to reconsidering the application capabilities of this thruster, namely for small satellite AOCS and for ultra-high precision pointing of spacecraft in constellations. FEEP tests in space simulators were extensively carried out at both the Electric Propulsion Laboratory of ESA and at Centrospazio, covering all of the thruster’s subsystems. A flight demonstration feasibility study was carried out by Centrospazio to exploit the Biopan facility of ESA. Mainly intended for biological experiments, the Biopan can be mounted on the outer surface of its carrier satellite so that its biological samples are directly exposed to the hard vacuum and radiation environment of outer space. After a brief survey of the present state of development of the FEEP thruster, this paper presents the results of a feasibility study of the FEEP experiment on Biopan, carried out by Centrospazio and Kayser Italia. The viability of a simple, low cost and readily achievable flight demonstration of this promising electric propulsion technology is outlined and discussed. A few other attractive flight demonstration opportunities, like the use of a Get Away Special on the Space Shuttle, and a dedicated drag-free microsatellite, are presented.
Flight Demonstration Opportunities for FEEP
MARCUCCIO, SALVO;ANDRENUCCI, MARIANO
1996-01-01
Abstract
The scientific community’s recent interest in Field Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) for drag-free spacecraft represents a major breakthrough for this technology. This new, previously unforeseen application opportunity is due to the capabilities of FEEP thrusters in the very low thrust range (about 1 mN). A major project, the Laser Interferometer Spaceborne Antenna (LISA), presently scheduled as a cornerstone in the ESA Horizon 2000+ programme, 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 synthetic aperture radiometry to be used for high accuracy weather forecasting, to noiseless microgravity laboratories. Also, a proposed small scientific mission (Galileo Galilei - GG), presently being studied under Italian Space Agency’s funding, addresses the Equivalence Principle validity with a spinning drag-free satellite. This renewed interest in FEEP has lead to reconsidering the application capabilities of this thruster, namely for small satellite AOCS and for ultra-high precision pointing of spacecraft in constellations. FEEP tests in space simulators were extensively carried out at both the Electric Propulsion Laboratory of ESA and at Centrospazio, covering all of the thruster’s subsystems. A flight demonstration feasibility study was carried out by Centrospazio to exploit the Biopan facility of ESA. Mainly intended for biological experiments, the Biopan can be mounted on the outer surface of its carrier satellite so that its biological samples are directly exposed to the hard vacuum and radiation environment of outer space. After a brief survey of the present state of development of the FEEP thruster, this paper presents the results of a feasibility study of the FEEP experiment on Biopan, carried out by Centrospazio and Kayser Italia. The viability of a simple, low cost and readily achievable flight demonstration of this promising electric propulsion technology is outlined and discussed. A few other attractive flight demonstration opportunities, like the use of a Get Away Special on the Space Shuttle, and a dedicated drag-free microsatellite, are presented.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
