CubeSat Propulsion

CubeSat Propulsion Integration

Originally funded by the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate, this research began as part of the Small Satellite Technology Partnership Program with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The goals of this research are to:

Integrate propulsion systems with CubeSats
Focus on how electric propulsion and other propulsion devices will affect CubeSat components and vice versa
Model magnetic fields to determine interaction between EP thruster and onboard systems such as passive magnetic stabilization systems and magtorquers
Determine effects on a CubeSat of thrust vectoring
Create models and use experiments to determine necessary shielding for electro-magnetic interference between EP devices and onboard systems

Busek 1-cm RF ion thruster (BIT-1) operating in the vacuum facility at ALPE with a LaB6 cathode

With CubeSats being used for more advanced missions, there is significant interest in being able to change the orbit into which the CubeSat is launched, to maintain orbit for longer periods of time, or to perform formation flying of CubeSat swarms. Therefore, smaller and more advanced propulsion systems are necessary. There has been a rapid growth in the development of propulsion systems for CubeSats; however, efforts toward integration have been limited. This research aims to rectify this situation.

Current efforts include the development of small microwave thrusters and the test and integration of a cold gas propulsion subsystem into a three-CubeSat swarm for the SWARM-EX mission. SWARM-EX is an inter-collegiate CubeSat initiative to launch three identical 3U CubeSats with novel technologies for radio communications between satellites, onboard propulsion, advanced data downlinks, in-situ measurements of the ionosphere, and autonomous operations within the constellation.

Initial renderings of SWARM-EX CubeSat

Papers and Conference Proceedings

Lev, D., Myers, R., Lemmer, K., Kolbeck, J., Koizumi, H., Polzin, K., “The technological and commercial expansion of electric propulsion,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 159, 213-227, (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.03.058

Lemmer, K., “Propulsion for CubeSats,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 134, pp. 231-243, (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2017.01.048.

Lev, D. Myers, R., Lemmer, K., Kolbeck, J., Keidar, M., Koizumi, H., Liang, H., Yu, D., Schoenherr, T., Gonzalez del Amo, J., Choe, W., Albertoni, R., Hart, W., Hofer, R., Hoskins, A., Funaki, I., Lovtsov, A., Polzin, K., Yan, S., Olshanskii, A., and Duchemin, O., “The Technological and Commercial Expansion of Electric Propulsion in the Past 24 Years,” IEPC-2017-242, 35th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Atlanta, GA, October 2017.

Hudson, J., Spangelo, S., Hine, A., Kolosa, D., and Lemmer, K., “Mission Analysis for CubeSats with Micropropulsion,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 53, No. 5 (2016). DOI: 10.2514/1.A33564.

Hudson, J., Lemmer, K., Hine, A., “Integration of Micro Electric Propulsion System for CubeSat Orbital Maneuvers," AIAA SPACE, Pasadena, CA, August 31 - September 2, 2015.

Hine, A.D., Lemmer, K.M., “Effect of Plasma Plume on CubeSat Structures as a Function of Thrust Vectoring,” IEPC 2015-157, 34th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Kobe, Japan, July 6-10, 2015.

Kolosa, D., Spangelo, S., Lemmer, K., Husdon, J., “Mission Analysis for a Micro RF Ion Thruster for CubeSat Orbital Maneuvers,” 50th Joint Propulsion Conference at the AIAA Energy and Propulsion Forum, Cleveland, OH, July 28-30, 2014.