NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
A CubeSat Asteroid Mission: Design Study and Trade-OffsThere is considerable interest in expanding the applicability of cubesat spacecraft into lightweight, low cost missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. A conceptual design was done for a 6-U cubesat for a technology demonstration to demonstrate use of electric propulsion systems on a small satellite platform. The candidate objective was a mission to be launched on the SLS test launch EM-1 to visit a Near-Earth asteroid. Both asteroid fly-by and asteroid rendezvous missions were analyzed. Propulsion systems analyzed included cold-gas thruster systems, Hall and ion thrusters, incorporating either Xenon or Iodine propellant, and an electrospray thruster. The mission takes advantage of the ability of the SLS launch to place it into an initial trajectory of C3=0. Targeting asteroids that fly close to earth minimizes the propulsion required for fly-by/rendezvous. Due to mass constraints, high specific impulse is required, and volume constraints mean the propellant density was also of great importance to the ability to achieve the required deltaV. This improves the relative usefulness of the electrospray salt, with higher propellant density. In order to minimize high pressure tanks and volatiles, the salt electrospray and iodine ion propulsion systems were the optimum designs for the fly-by and rendezvous missions respectively combined with a thruster gimbal and wheel system For the candidate fly-by mission, with a mission deltaV of about 400 m/s, the mission objectives could be accomplished with a 800s electrospray propulsion system, incorporating a propellant-less cathode and a bellows salt tank. This propulsion system is planned for demonstration on 2015 LEO and 2016 GEO DARPA flights. For the rendezvous mission, at a ΔV of 2000 m/s, the mission could be accomplished with a 50W miniature ion propulsion system running iodine propellant. This propulsion system is not yet demonstrated in space. The conceptual design shows that an asteroid mission is possible using a cubesat platform with high-efficiency electric propulsion.
Document ID
20150002091
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Landis, Geoffrey A.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Oleson, Steven R.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
McGuire, Melissa
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Hepp, Aloysius
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Stegeman, James
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Bur, Mike
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Burke, Laura
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Martini, Michael
(ZIN Technologies, Inc. Middleburg Heights, OH, United States)
Fittje, James E.
(Vantage Partners, LLC Brook Park, OH, United States)
Kohout, Lisa
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Fincannon, James
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Packard, Tom
(Vantage Partners, LLC Brook Park, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
February 25, 2015
Publication Date
September 29, 2014
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GRC-E-DAA-TN17881
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Astronautical Congress 2014
Location: Toronto
Country: Canada
Start Date: September 29, 2014
End Date: October 3, 2014
Sponsors: International Astronautical Federation
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNC12BA01B
WBS: WBS 361426.07.03
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
cubesat
smallsat
asteroid mission
No Preview Available