A Fiber-fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster (FPPT) will enable enhanced low Earth orbit, cis-lunar, and deep space missions for small satellites. FPPT technology utilizes an electric motor to feed PTFE fiber to its discharge region, enabling high PPT propellant throughput and variable exposed fuel area. An innovative, parallel ceramic capacitor bank dramatically lowers system specific mass. FPPT minimizes range safety concerns by the use of non-pressurized, non-toxic, inert propellant and construction materials. Estimates are that a 1U (10 cm×10 cm×10 cm, or 1 liter) volume FPPT thruster package may provide more than 10,000 N-s total impulse and a delta-V of 1.4 km/s delta-V for an 8 kg CubeSat.


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    Title :

    Fiber-fed advanced pulsed plasma thruster (FPPT)


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2020-02-25


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    F03H PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR , Erzeugung von Vortriebskraft [Schub] nach dem Prinzip des Rückstoßes, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen / B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS



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