Impact of ion propulsion on performance, design, testing and operation of a geosynchronous spacecraft
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Authors
Lugtu, Spotrizano Descanzo
Subjects
Ion propulsion
geosynchronous satellite
North-South Station Keeping
geosynchronous satellite
North-South Station Keeping
Advisors
Agrawal, Brij N.
Date of Issue
1990-06
Date
June 1990
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
This thesis presents the implementation issues of an ion propulsion subsystem (IPS) on a geosynchronous communications satellite. As an example, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Follow-On class satellite is selected for this study. The issues include: (1) impact of integration of IPS with other subsystems, such as the electrical power subsystem to take care of the heavy demand of power requirements and location of the subsystem with least impact on attitude control and plume impingement on solar arrays, (2) environmental considerations- particulate contamination, electrostatic discharge (ESD), and electromagnetic interference (EMI), and finally risks and benefits. Ion propulsion offers significant advantages over chemical propulsion due to its high specific impulse and the advent of xenon thruster technology, multikilowatt spacecraft, and nickel-hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries with demonstrated high cycle life have combined to make the ion thruster attractive for North-South Station Keeping (NSSK).
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
xvii, 158 p. ; ill.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.