Final Year Project Presentation
on
Cubesat In-Space Propulsion
Department of Aeronautical Engineering
Shree Devi Institute of Technology
Mangalore Karnataka-574142
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Authors
Irfan Mujawar
Syed Abdul Razack
Jayashree G K
Govind
(BE Students, SDIT Mangalore)
Under the Guidance
Mr. Ishwara Gowda V Patil
Assistant Professor, Dept of AE,SDIT Mangalore
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ABSTRACT
The propulsion system is the primary mobility system of a
spacecraft that helps with orbit modifications and attitude control
with the help of power developed by thrusters. In this project we are
designing a new propulsion module for a 3U cubesat that will be
used for de-orbiting and collision avoidance in space. One of the
unique features that we will be inculcating in our project will be
propulsion using green propellants that will be eco-friendly and
produce less toxic gases. Hence, we have used a bipropellant, a
mixture of Propene and Nitrous oxide with zero toxicity. The
bipropellant used being an autogenous system does not need an
additional pressurizing system. Due to these features our propulsion
module uses only 1U space of the cubesat saving 2U for other
systems.
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INTRODUCTION
• A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite for space
research that is made up of multiple cubic modules of
10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm size.
• CubeSats are put into orbit by deployers on the
International Space Station, or launched as secondary
payloads on a launch vehicle.
Different Cubesat Units
Cubesat Deployment
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Applications:
• CubeSats are now commonly used in low Earth orbit
for applications such as Forecasting a cyclone,
Television, Remote sensing and communications.
Size Comparison:
• some you can hold in your hand while others like
IRS-1B are as big as a school bus.
Cubesat In Human Hands
IRS-1B
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Why cubesat need propulsion
system?
•
•
•
•
•
Primary Mobility
Maneuverability.
Collision Avoidance.
Orbit Modifications.
Attitude Control.
Interesting Facts
•
•
•
•
Green propellant(Nitrous oxide and Propene)
Self pressurizing.
It's safer and more efficient.
Small Size.
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Objectives
• To design a 3U cubesat propulsion module using a
green bi-propellant for a de-orbit mission.
• To analyze the design in different software and check
validity.
• To do a Comparative study between obtained results
and previously available literatures.
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Literature Survey
• Filippo Maggi: From this paper we could find about
hydrazine as toxic, propene and nitrous oxide as green
propellant.
• Tomasz Palacz: explains the physics of the oxidizer
N2O such as its density variation with temperature,
that it can be stored in closed tank with coexisting both
liquid and gaseous phases and the phenomenon called
self-pressurization.
• Zachary Thicksten: Through years of hands on use,
and research into the properties of nitrous oxide,
spacedev has created a set of guidelines on how to
design, clean, and inspect systems using nitrous oxide.
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• IAC 2018:
The work set out to design and characterize chemical
propulsion systems interplanetary cubeSat to escape
Earth mission analysis was performed to calculate the
necessary ∆V.
• Micheal M.Micci AIAA:
The combination of extremely low specific impulse and
heavy, high-pressure propellant tanks results in
unreasonably high total propulsion system mass values
even though the thrusters themselves can be quite
small.
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• George P. Sutton:
The concept of the maximum attainable flight
velocity increment. The principle of chemical
reaction or combustion of one or more fuels with one
or more oxidizing reactants is the basis of chemical
rocket propulsion. The book is also know as “Bible”
of rocket.
• Dawn Aerospace:
Green bi-propellant thrusters provide a modular and
extensible architecture for spacecraft builders to
achieve their specific mission requirements.
Configurable for satellites of all classes.
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Calculations:
• Pressure:
• Gas Constant:
• Specific Impulse:
• Mass Flow Rate:
• Throat Area:
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• Diameter of the nozzle throat and exit:
• Thrust:
• Characteristic Velocity:
• Volume of the chamber:
• Delta v and dry mass:
• Area and length of the chamber:
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Software used:
• NASA CEA
Figure 1:First page of CEA
Figure 2:Pressure
Figure 3:Fuel
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Figure 4:Propene
Figure 7:Exit condition
Figure 5:Oxidizer
Figure 8:Equi&frozen
Figure 6:O/F
Figure 9:Output
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Final output cea values
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RPA(Rocket Propulsion Analysis)
Figure 1:Interface
Figure 2:Engine definition
Figure 3:Propellant
Specification
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Figure 4:Nozzle flow
Model
Figure 5: Chamber
Performance
Figure 6:Chamber size&
Geometry
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Final output rpa values
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Structure Design:
CATIA V5 R21
Height (50mm)&Radius(22mm)
Figure :Fuel Tank
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Height(60mm)&Radius(30mm)
Figure 2:Oxidizer Tank
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Length(65mm)&Radius(3.5mm)
Figure 3:Thrust Chamber & Nozzle
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Height(300mm)&Width(100mm)
Figure 4: Arrangement of propulsion system
in 3U cubesat
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ANALYSIS
Figure :Stress Analysis of fuel tank Al 6063-T
Figure : Stress Analysis of fuel tank Ti-6Al-4V
Figure :Deformation Analysis of Fuel Tank Al 6063-T
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Figure :Deformation Analysis of fuel tank Ti-6Al-4V
Figure: Stress Analysis of oxidizer tank 0.8mm
thickness Al 6063-T
Figure: Stress Analysis of oxidizer tank 0.8mm
thickness Ti-6Al-4V
Figure:Deformation Analysis of oxidizer tank 0.8mm
thickness Al 6063-T
Figure 6.7 Deformation Analysis of oxidizer tank
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0.8mm thickness Ti-6Al-4V
Figure : Stress Analysis of oxidizer tank 1.5mm
thickness Al 6063-T6
Figure :Deformation Analysis of oxidizer tank
1.5mm thickness Al 6063-T
Figure :Stress Analysis of oxidizer tank 1.5mm
thicknessTi-6Al-4V
Figure :Deformation Analysis of oxidizer tank25
1.5mm thicknessTi-6Al-4V
Result comparison:
Terms
Pc
Pt
γ throat)
γ(exit)
R gas
(exit)
Rgas
(throat)
M
(throat)
M
(exit)
ve
vt
Te
Tt
Isp
CEA
Value
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3.9
1.2567
1.1224
Calculated
RPA Value
Value
7
7
3.9
3.9
1.256
1.122
Units
bar
bar
-
0.3215
0.321
kJ/(kg.K)
-
0.3323
0.332
kJ/(kg.K)
1
-
5.378
-
2600.5
980.1
647.88
2299.59
-
265.086
1
5.3661
2948.9335
1063.8722
734.9981
2867.466
282.18
m/s
m/s
K
K
s
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F
𝑚̇
At
Ae
Ae/At
Tc
De
Dt
CF
C*
Vc
Ac
Dc
Lc
112.92
2592.63
1.8327
1418.9
-
0.5
0.000192
0.3802
42.98
7.397
0.69
1386.14
387.80
42.98
2.80
62.190
0.5
0.00019
103.718
3078.7087
7.12
0.70
1.8618
1530.660
2.80
65.04
N
Kg/s
mm2
mm2
K
mm
mm
m/s
mm3
mm2
mm
mm
Result Analysis
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Conclusions:
• The propellant couple powering this motor is a green one.
• Not only is this good for the environment, but also for
work-safety, resulting in cutting down the propellant
production and storage costs.
• The above statement improves the economic interests in
promoting a further development in similar motors,
generating value for all the actions in the space economy.
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Future work:
• Design of injection head and ignition device.
• Cooling system.
• Making it possible for the CubeSat to even reach the
Earth’s surface after the de-orbiting mission.
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ICTAME 2021
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Reference:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Filippo Maggi, Davide Zuin, La Luna, MattiaDotti, Christian Paravan,
LucianoGalfett. 8thEuropean Conference for Aeronautics and Aerospace
Sciences(EUCASS).
Tomasz Palacz.
Zachary Thicksten, Frank Macklin, and John.
Jamie Chin, Ronald Coelho, Justin Foley, Alicia John stone, Ryan Nugent, Dave
Pignatelli, Savannah Pignatelli, Nikolaus Powell, Jordi Puig-Suari, “CubeSat 101
Basic concept and processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers”, NASA
Headquarters/-media Fusion,2017 This document was created mainly for CubeSat
developers who are working With NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI).
Hyperion Technologies, “PM200 – High thrust propulsion for CubeSats”, Clean
Space Industry Days, 2017.
Karthik Venkatesh Mani, Francesco Topputo, Angelo Cervone, “Chemical
Propulsion System Design for a 16U Interplanetary CubeSat” 69thInternational
Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Germany.,2018.
Micheal M.Micci, Andrew D. Ketsdever, Paul Zarchan “Micro propulsion for small
Spacecraft” American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
George P. Sutton, Oscar Biblarz, “Rocket Propulsion Elements” Wiley, Ninth
Ed.2019.
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Dawn Aerospace.
THANK YOU
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