On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control
This paper presents the development, construction and testing of a new type of solar–thermal propulsion system which can be used for low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Currently, the vast majority of LEO satellites are fitted with a cold gas propulsion system. Although such a propulsion system is pre...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/20/7197 |
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| author | Constantin Sandu Valentin Silivestru Grigore Cican Horațiu Șerbescu Traian Tipa Andrei Totu Andrei Radu |
| author_facet | Constantin Sandu Valentin Silivestru Grigore Cican Horațiu Șerbescu Traian Tipa Andrei Totu Andrei Radu |
| author_sort | Constantin Sandu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents the development, construction and testing of a new type of solar–thermal propulsion system which can be used for low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Currently, the vast majority of LEO satellites are fitted with a cold gas propulsion system. Although such a propulsion system is preferred, the service duration of an LEO satellite is limited by the amount of cold gas they carry onboard. In the case of the new type of solar–thermal propulsion system proposed in this paper, the cold gas is first transferred from the main tank in a cylindrical service tank/buffer tank which is placed in the focal line of a concave mirror. After the gas is heated by the solar light focused on the service tank by the concave mirror, it expands by opening the appropriate solenoid valve for the satellite’s attitude control. In this way the service duration of LEO satellite on orbit can increase by 2.5 times compared with a classic cold gas propulsion system. This is due to the propellant’s internal energy increase by the focused solar light. This paper also presents the results achieved by carrying out tests for the hot gas propulsion system in a controlled environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:35:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d82bf6cbb6ea4b6a977081316b8b9136 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:35:54Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-d82bf6cbb6ea4b6a977081316b8b91362023-11-20T17:15:03ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-10-011020719710.3390/app10207197On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude ControlConstantin Sandu0Valentin Silivestru1Grigore Cican2Horațiu Șerbescu3Traian Tipa4Andrei Totu5Andrei Radu6National Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines COMOTI, 220D Iuliu Maniu, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines COMOTI, 220D Iuliu Maniu, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Aerospace Engineering, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines COMOTI, 220D Iuliu Maniu, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines COMOTI, 220D Iuliu Maniu, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines COMOTI, 220D Iuliu Maniu, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Research and Development Institute for Gas Turbines COMOTI, 220D Iuliu Maniu, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaThis paper presents the development, construction and testing of a new type of solar–thermal propulsion system which can be used for low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Currently, the vast majority of LEO satellites are fitted with a cold gas propulsion system. Although such a propulsion system is preferred, the service duration of an LEO satellite is limited by the amount of cold gas they carry onboard. In the case of the new type of solar–thermal propulsion system proposed in this paper, the cold gas is first transferred from the main tank in a cylindrical service tank/buffer tank which is placed in the focal line of a concave mirror. After the gas is heated by the solar light focused on the service tank by the concave mirror, it expands by opening the appropriate solenoid valve for the satellite’s attitude control. In this way the service duration of LEO satellite on orbit can increase by 2.5 times compared with a classic cold gas propulsion system. This is due to the propellant’s internal energy increase by the focused solar light. This paper also presents the results achieved by carrying out tests for the hot gas propulsion system in a controlled environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/20/7197solar energysolar–thermalcold gaspropulsion systemLEO satellites |
| spellingShingle | Constantin Sandu Valentin Silivestru Grigore Cican Horațiu Șerbescu Traian Tipa Andrei Totu Andrei Radu On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control Applied Sciences solar energy solar–thermal cold gas propulsion system LEO satellites |
| title | On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control |
| title_full | On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control |
| title_fullStr | On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control |
| title_short | On a New Type of Combined Solar–Thermal/Cold Gas Propulsion System Used for LEO Satellite’s Attitude Control |
| title_sort | on a new type of combined solar thermal cold gas propulsion system used for leo satellite s attitude control |
| topic | solar energy solar–thermal cold gas propulsion system LEO satellites |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/20/7197 |
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