부산대학교 도서관

According to the requirements of small SAR satellites for high-precision control, low-power consumption and long lifetime propulsion system, a new 200W class electric propulsion system using a gridded ion thruster based on microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) principle is under development. The design status of all four generations of M5 thrusters and the latest test results are described. The M5 thruster has multi-ECR zones which mean larger discharge area, and an immersed microwave antenna which can feed the microwave power to ECR zones directly, resulting in higher discharge efficiency. The test results show that when working at nominal condition with 0.8sccm xenon gas flow rate and 35W input microwave power, the thruster can achieve 3mN thrust and 2500s specific impulse, while the discharge loss is 600W/A. The composition of the M5 servo electric propulsion system is introduced, and its work performances are listed. The M5 servo electric propulsion system can work in a wide range with a predicted lifetime over 20000 hours, providing high total impulse with low system weight, and has many advantages including high specific impulse, high precision, fast ignition, easy operation, and high reliability. The M5 servo electric propulsion system has good application prospects for small SAR satellites and other small satellites and microsatellites.