The Sapienza aerospace research center (CRAS) is involved in the design and manufacturing of a cold gas micropropulsion system for attitude control to be tested on board the Ursa Maior CubeSat in the frame of the QB50 project. The main goal is to design and test a new integrated MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) valve-nozzle system. The whole system is designed to fit in a 1/2 U of the CubeSat. The MEMS nozzle and valve are manufactured by means of innovative techniques: the present MEMS nozzle has an axis symmetric geometry and it is controlled by a MEMS valve which works mainly like an electromagnetic valve. The micropropulsion test consists in providing a constant thrust for a given amount of time and measuring the angular velocity induced by the thruster on the CubeSat by means of the IMU. Reliability and repeatability will be confirmed by 10 tests at the same nominal thrust. Copyright © 2013 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reserved
F. Piergentili, M. Balucani, R. Crescenzi, J. Piattoni , F. Santoni, B. Betti, et al. (2013). MEMS cold gas microthruster on Ursa Maior CubeSat.
MEMS cold gas microthruster on Ursa Maior CubeSat
PIATTONI, JACOPO;
2013
Abstract
The Sapienza aerospace research center (CRAS) is involved in the design and manufacturing of a cold gas micropropulsion system for attitude control to be tested on board the Ursa Maior CubeSat in the frame of the QB50 project. The main goal is to design and test a new integrated MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) valve-nozzle system. The whole system is designed to fit in a 1/2 U of the CubeSat. The MEMS nozzle and valve are manufactured by means of innovative techniques: the present MEMS nozzle has an axis symmetric geometry and it is controlled by a MEMS valve which works mainly like an electromagnetic valve. The micropropulsion test consists in providing a constant thrust for a given amount of time and measuring the angular velocity induced by the thruster on the CubeSat by means of the IMU. Reliability and repeatability will be confirmed by 10 tests at the same nominal thrust. Copyright © 2013 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reservedI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
