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Reaching for the Stars with New Propellant Technology ....Propulsion Technologies Photo courtesy Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock Reaching for the stars with new propellant technology For an industry, so keen to discuss all things satellite, we don’t hear a great deal about one of the most critical components; propellants. Satellites use propellants in multiple stages; chemical rockets are typically used for the launch, while chemical thrusters allow the satellite to maintain position and attitude once in orbit. However, the disadvantages of chemical propellants have become a focal point for many, and recent years have seen a flurry of activity towards the development of alternative solutions, some of which seemingly deny the laws of physics. Traditional chemical propellant-based rockets have been satellite launch mass, and expected lifespan. There’s also a staple for space travel for some time. Fuels are combusted safety issues relating to storing massive amounts of fuel in in a traditional combustion engine, and the gases released as little space as possible, nearby other sources of ignition, in the exhaust provide the thrust required to escape the as well as the fact that traditional fossil fuels are non- surface of the Earth, or make manoeuvres in space. Thanks renewable, and release harmful by-products with their to the laws of physics, we can rely on fossil fuels to behave combustion. as expected, providing a reliable means of access to space. Accordingly, scientists and engineers have spent Many years of testing has granted us a reasonably predictable considerable time researching new, alternative propulsion and safe means of spacecraft propulsion. systems that alleviate some of the negative aspects of However, current propulsion systems leave a lot to be traditional systems. desired. The ideal system should weigh as little as possible, and yet provide as much energy as possible, to operate All-electronic propulsion systems throughout the 15-20 year lifespan of today’s satellites. The Electronic propulsion systems are not new to the space sector. weight of the fuel is a considerable problem in terms of The initial idea stems back to 1911, and the first prototypes 12 www.satellite-evolution.com | November/December 2016 propulsion technology.pmd 12 16/11/2016, 23:50 Untitled-1 1 18/09/2016, 21:32 ....Propulsion Technologies were tested in the 1960s. Satellite manufacturers have offered water can be split at any time, for instance, when there is a electronic propulsion systems since the 2010s, although surplus of solar electricity which cannot be stored on the these systems were limited to in-orbit positioning and attitude grid or used elsewhere, and the resulting hydrogen fuel can controls. be stored for future use. It’s this very idea that terrestrial Electronic propulsion systems provide a number of clear companies have been exploring for many years now, with benefits over traditional chemical propellants. They are up to the aim of developing hydrogen fuel cells for cars. 1,000 times more efficient than chemical propellants, making The concept of using water as a fuel source for satellites them ideal for long-duration missions, such as a has a number of advantages: communications satellites in geostationary orbit. There’s also the matter of reduced satellite launch mass, increased safety • Safety: Water is essentially an energy-carrier, not a fuel, from not carrying vast amounts of flammable fuel in a confined thus accidents that result from having large amounts of space, and reduced launch costs. Moreover, since satellites water in a compact space are highly unlikely. produce electricity in situ via solar panels, there’s always an • Availability: Water is freely available around the entire ample supply. When it comes to small satellites, with their world, and unlike fossil fuels, is not a limited resource. limited volume and the requirement for low mass, electronic • Clean energy: Unlike the combustion of fossil fuels, propulsion systems really make sense. hydrogen gas burns cleanly, without producing harmful In recent years, several satellite manufacturers have been by-products. developing all-electronic propulsion systems, wherein the satellites use electricity to reach orbit once they have been In September 2016, a team at the University of Cornell, ejected from the initial launch vehicle. The downside of these led by former NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck, reached systems is that the satellites typically take around six months phase three of the four-phase Ground Tournament part of to reach geostationary orbit, instead of several weeks for the Cube Quest Challenge, a NASA-sponsored US$5.5 chemical propulsion systems. million project for the development of small satellites capable In March 2015, SpaceX launched the first two all- of advanced operations beyond the moon. The top three electronic satellites for Eutelsat and ABS on the Falcon 9 projects will be launched on NASA’s Space Launch System launcher. In the absence of propellant, the two (SLS) rocket in 2018, to compete in the Deep Space Derby telecommunications satellites had a combined launch mass or the Lunar Derby. of 4,000kg, instead of 4,000kg each. ABS-3A was the world’s The Cornell team has designed a CubeSat that consists first all-electronic satellite to begin operations in September of two L-shaped halves, which, once released from the SLS, 2015. Its xenon-ion propulsion system uses electron will split apart and individually move towards the moon’s bombardment to create xenon ions, which are expelled from atmosphere, spinning en route to create the angular the satellite to create thrust. momentum that will keep them on course. The satellites will The success of the first launch was followed in March use solar energy to transform water stored in tanks at the 2016 by the launch of two more all-electronic satellites for bottom of the L-shape into hydrogen and oxygen gases, which Eutelsat and ABS. The launch of the Boeing-manufactured will be combusted in short bursts, 30-60 minutes apart, as satellites concluded a four-satellite contract made in 2012. an alternative means of propulsion. In addition to staying on Meanwhile, in March 2016, the European Space Agency course, the spinning also separates the water from the gases (ESA), SES and satellite manufacturer OHB SE signed a for combustion. contract to produce a lightweight, all-electronic commercial “If we could refuel spacecraft while they’re already in telecommunications satellite platform called Electra. The space, that means that we could go farther, probably faster, programme was initially announced in 2012, but has fallen probably accomplish a lot more, and we wouldn’t rely on Earth three years behind schedule, and is now targeting a 2021 for supplies,” said Peck. launch. Once the satellites enter the moon’s gravitational pull, Electra was designed to keep Europe’s satellite sector they will decelerate and be pulled into a distant Earth orbit. competitive with the international market, which has already When they come into contact again with the moon several seen several all-electronic satellites designed and launched. days later, the satellites will be travelling slowly enough to be The Electra platform will fill a niche market for all-electronic pulled into lunar orbit, 6,200 miles above the moon’s surface. propulsion satellites that weigh less than 3,000kg at launch. Today’s experiments for using water as a fuel source see “Electra perfectly fits into the innovation priorities of SES. craft transporting water into space and using it in situ. Decreasing the total cost of putting a payload into orbit and However, one day scientists hope that spacecraft will be able increasing the range of possible applications is a key strategic to extract water from their surroundings, such as the moon element for the satellite operator community. Electric or asteroids, in order to gain access to massive amounts of propulsion is poised to inject increased competitiveness into fuel. the satellite industry, an essential element for the sustained development of the satellite-based commercial Physics-defying reactionless drivers telecommunications market. SES is pleased to trigger this Reactionless drivers were first proposed by electrical Electra initiative and to establish a strong relationship with engineer Roger Shawyer in 1999 as an alternative to ESA,” said Martin Halliwell, SES Chief Technology Officer. traditional chemical thrusters. Theory states that reactionless drivers convert electricity into microwaves, with the resulting Transforming water into fuel microwave photons fired into a truncated cone-shaped closed When it comes to alternative satellite propellants, water is metal cavity, which push against the large end of the cone, the next big thing. Water can be split through electrolysis causing the small end to accelerate in the opposite direction. into hydrogen and oxygen gases, which can then be The appeal such a driver would have to the satellite combusted like other fuels. One of the advantages is that industry is clear. Propellants are a limiting factor for all 14 www.satellite-evolution.com | November/December 2016 propulsion technology.pmd 14 16/11/2016, 23:50 Propulsion Technologies.... satellites, particularly those in low Earth orbit (LEO), which to produce orders of magnitude more thrust thanks to the are subject to atmospheric drag. Propellants make up as introduction of superconducting technologies. much as half of a satellite’s launch mass, and today, a satellite Cannae Inc is another company working with reactionless cannot maintain its position and attitude in space without driver technology, both independently and in cooperation with them. Reactionless drivers could, therefore, vastly reduce NASA Eagleworks. On 17 August 2016, Cannae announced the costs of satellite launches, as well as extend their plans to launch the Cannae Drive, its propellant-free thruster, operational lifetime. into space on a 6U Cubesat. The drive will take up one quarter Since the idea was first proposed, many scientists have of the satellite volume.
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