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Vacuum Arc Nano Thrusters for Nanosatellite Spacecraft Constellations

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: F29601-01-C-0133
Agency Tracking Number: 011NM-1174
Amount: $98,095.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
2235 Polvorosa Ave, Suite 230
San Leandro, CA 94577
United States
DUNS: 836439968
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Niansheng Qi
 Principal Scientist
 (510) 483-4156
 qi@aasc.net
Business Contact
 Mahadevan Krishnan
Title: President
Phone: (510) 483-4156
Email: krishnan@aasc.net
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation proposes to develop a new type of nano-thruster electric engine for highly parallel, distributed constellations of nano-satellites and other space propulsion applications. A key feature of the proposed Phase-I is theuse of an Inductive Energy Store (IES) driver to power the vacuum arc nano-thruster, which has a mass of <60 g while operating at >90% PPU efficiency from 1-10 W. The province of missions for such a thruster includes attitude control of satelliteconstellations of Class I microspacecraft (~10 kg, ~10 W). This thruster requires <100 V to operate, vs. the ~2 kV for the PPT. The thruster might be scaled to >=100 W, to provide both attitude control and slew maneuvers with the same engine. In Phase I,AASC will fabricate a prototype thruster with a 1-10 W inductive PPU, using NASA and/or Air Force space qualified components where possible. We will measure plasma streaming velocity and mass utilization rates for many elements or alloys. We will conductdirect thrust and efficiency measurements at Edwards AFB. In Phase II, we will develop a flight qualified engineering model by addressing other key issues such as the lifetime of the thruster, environmental factors and mission requirements.The primaryapplication of the specific thruster to be developed in the proposed work will be for Class I micro-spacecraft, ~10 kg. However, beyond this immediate application, the thruster could find use for larger or smaller spacecraft, with further development.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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