Modular Impulsive Green Monopropellant Propulsion System (MIMPS-G): for Cubesats in LEO and to the Moon
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aerospace Article Modular Impulsive Green Monopropellant Propulsion System (MIMPS-G): For CubeSats in LEO and to the Moon Ahmed E. S. Nosseir 1,2,* , Angelo Cervone 1,* and Angelo Pasini 2,* 1 Department of Space Engineering, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), 2629 Delft, The Netherlands 2 Sede di Ingegneria Aerospaziale, Dipt. di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale, Università di Pisa (UniPi), 56122 Pisa, Italy * Correspondence: [email protected] or [email protected] (A.E.S.N.); [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (A.P.) Abstract: Green propellants are currently considered as enabling technology that is revolutioniz- ing the development of high-performance space propulsion, especially for small-sized spacecraft. Modern space missions, either in LEO or interplanetary, require relatively high-thrust and impulsive capabilities to provide better control on the spacecraft, and to overcome the growing challenges, particularly related to overcrowded LEOs, and to modern space application orbital maneuver require- ments. Green monopropellants are gaining momentum in the design and development of small and modular liquid propulsion systems, especially for CubeSats, due to their favorable thermophysical properties and relatively high performance when compared to gaseous propellants, and perhaps simpler management when compared to bipropellants. Accordingly, a novel high-thrust modular impulsive green monopropellant propulsion system with a micro electric pump feed cycle is pro- posed. MIMPS-G500mN is designed to be capable of delivering 0.5 N thrust and offers theoretical total impulse I from 850 to 1350 N s per 1U and >3000 N s per 2U depending on the burnt mono- Citation: Nosseir, A.E.S.; Cervone, tot A.; Pasini, A. Modular Impulsive propellant, which makes it a candidate for various LEO satellites as well as future Moon missions. Green Monopropellant Propulsion Green monopropellant ASCENT (formerly AF-M315E), as well as HAN and ADN-based alternatives System (MIMPS-G): For CubeSats in (i.e., HNP225 and LMP-103S) were proposed in the preliminary design and system analysis. The LEO and to the Moon. Aerospace 2021, article will present state-of-the-art green monopropellants in the (EIL) Energetic Ionic Liquid class 8, 169. https://doi.org/10.3390/ and a trade-off study for proposed propellants. System analysis and design of MIMPS-G500mN will aerospace8060169 be discussed in detail, and the article will conclude with a market survey on small satellites green monopropellant propulsion systems and commercial off-the-shelf thrusters. Academic Editor: Filippo Maggi Keywords: green monopropellant; chemical rocket propulsion; CubeSats; small satellites; micro Received: 12 May 2021 electric pump feed cycle Accepted: 17 June 2021 Published: 19 June 2021 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral 1. Introduction with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- CubeSat propulsion is evolving to fulfill the requirements of modern space missions iations. and applications that demand propulsion capabilities to enable active orbital operations, such as orbital altitude and inclination changes, orbital transfers, formation flying, ren- dezvous operations–generally, operations requiring high-thrust impulsive maneuvers. An example for commercial CubeSats utilizing a green propulsion system, namely HPGP by ECAPS, is the SkySat LEO imaging constellation by Planet Lab from 2016 to 2020 [1]. Other Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. science missions for CubeSats utilizing a propulsion system are MarCO Mars deep-space This article is an open access article CubeSat utilizing a cold-gas propulsion system launched in May 2018 [2], and Pathfinder distributed under the terms and Technology Demonstrator (PTD) by NASA, launched in January 2021 which utilizes the conditions of the Creative Commons Hydros-C water-based propulsion system [3]. Challenges facing this evolution include, Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// as an example, the need for design-modularity and components miniaturization. Design creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ modularity may be considered as a cornerstone for rapid fabrication and assembly of 4.0/). Aerospace 2021, 8, 169. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace8060169 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/aerospace Aerospace 2021, 8, 169 2 of 26 Aerospace 2021, 8, 169 subsystems and components, which usually reduce development costs and time.2 of 27 Miniatur- ization of components is crucial to the space industry in general, since nowadays every gram of payload mass to orbit may have a significant monetary value, adding to that ofthe subsystems presence and of components, onboard size which restrictions. usually reduce Design development modularity costs and and miniaturization time. Min- is a iaturizationmajor point of ofcomponents focus for is various crucial researchto the space work industry in the in space general, propulsion since nowadays field in general, everyeither gram for electricof payload propulsion mass to orbit [4,5 may] or forhave chemical a significant propulsion monetary in value, standalone adding to systems or thatin multimodethe presence systems,of onboard as size extensively restrictions. studied Design bymodularity Rovey, J.and L. miniaturization et al. [6]. On another is a note, majorgreen point monopropellants of focus for various are theresearch current work trend in the in space liquid propulsion propellant field propulsion in general, for small eithersatellites, for electric either propulsion in scientific [4,5] or or industrial for chemical research propulsion and development in standalone assystems well asor commercialin multimodeactivities, systems, due to their as extensively safety, stability, studied storability,by Rovey, J. relativeL. et al. [6]. design On another simplicity, note, green as well as high monopropellants are the current trend in liquid propellant propulsion for small satellites, performance, and may soon face global legal regulations for a greener environment–as either in scientific or industrial research and development as well as commercial activities, expected by the authors. These facts were the motive behind the design of (MIMPS-G) the due to their safety, stability, storability, relative design simplicity, as well as high perfor- mance,Modular and Impulsivemay soon face Propulsion global legal System regula totions utilize for aGreen greener monopropellants environment–as expected and is a prospec- bytive the systemauthors. forThese micro facts and were nano the motive spacecraft, behind particularlythe design of (MIMPS-G) CubeSats, requiringthe Modular a modular Impulsivepropulsion Propulsion system System for high-thrust to utilize Green impulsive monopropellants orbital maneuvers. and is a prospective From the sys- study of the temmarket for micro and and the nano current spacecraft, state-of-the-art particularly products CubeSats, in requiring the green a modular propulsion propulsion industry, it was systemdeemed for necessaryhigh-thrust to impulsive design a orbital green mane monopropellantuvers. From the propulsion study of systemthe market that and would help thein current solving state-of-the-art several challenges products related in the to green acquiring propulsion higher industry, performances it was deemed and lowernec- costs as essarywell asto demonstratingdesign a green monopropellant competitive advantages propulsion tosystem currently that would proposed help systems,in solving as will be severaldiscussed challenges in Sections related4 and to acquiring5 of this manuscript.higher performances The design and andlower development costs as well plansas have demonstratingtaken place within competitive a research advantages work carriedto curre outntly atproposed the beginning systems, of as the will year be 2020dis- between cussed in Section 4 and 5 of this manuscript. The design and development plans have the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the University of Pisa and the Department of taken place within a research work carried out at the beginning of the year 2020 between Space Engineering of the Aerospace Engineering Faculty in TU Delft. the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the University of Pisa and the Department of SpaceThe Engineering baseline of design the Aerospac of MIMPS-G500mNe Engineering Faculty is a standardin TU Delft. 1U CubeSat size that can be expandedThe baseline or design clustered of MIMPS-G500mN depending on is the a standard spacecraft 1U CubeSat size, required size that thrust can be level, and expandedmission’s orD clusteredV budget. depending One of on the the criticalspacecraft components size, required in thrust this propulsion level, and mis- system that sion’srequired ΔV budget. special One attention of the andcritical deep components analysis wasin this the propulsion feed and pressurizationsystem that required system. It was specialfound attention that conventional and deep analysis systems was such the feed as stored and pressurization gas or blow-down system. pressure-fedIt was found systems thatwere conventional introducing systems more limitationssuch as stored over gas time, or blow-down especially pressure-fed due to the increasing systems were performance introducingrequirements more and limitations the size over and masstime, especially restrictions due on to the the inertincreasing parts performance of CubeSats. re- Foreseeing quirementsthat eventually, and the designers size and mass would restrictions