Electric Propulsion's Rational Application Range on The Small Spacecrafts

摘要

The satellite's descent time into the atmosphere dense layers can be longer than the time of the proposed active existence for sufficiently large satellites orbits altitudes range. Continuous support for orbit parameters is most relevant in low Earth orbits. Flight Control's SETS department is developing various llall effect thrusters (HET) that have good performance and can be used to solve these problems. The paper discusses the prospects for the use of engines to maintain the Earth remote sensing satellites orbit in low Earth orbits. Comparison of the application field of SETS HET and traditional chemical thrusters for similar tasks is carried out. The trajectory parameters were calculated by numerical solving the spacecraft's motion differential equations in the Earth gravitational field under the solar radiation influence in a rarefied Earth atmosphere. The control system was considered such that it changes the daily time the engine is turned on to maintain an orbit altitude. Such a scheme for modeling the operation of the control system makes it possible to take into account the change in disturbing factors that are not known in advance. A comparative analysis of chemical thrusters and HET was performed. The HET propulsion system mass is less than the chemical thruster system for altitudes less than 450 km due to a significant reduction in the mass of fuel. The masses of the compared systems are commensurate for orbit altitudes of the order of 500km. The HET propulsion system weight reduction will be more than 2 times when it is used instead of a chemical thruster at altitudes from 300 to 450km. The results obtained can be used both in the new spacecraft design and in the existing solutions modifications to obtain more efficient use of the satellite launch mass. The main result of this study should be to ensure the most efficient use of the satellite starting mass. The considered methods of calculation can be useful in obtaining the necessary characteristics o