Development of solid propellant microthrusters

Abstract

The thesis presents new designs, fabrication and testing of silicon-based and ceramic-based solid propellant microthrusters. They can be used in micropropulsion field, such as station keeping, attitude control and orbit adjust for microspacecraft. They can also have terrestrial, security and biomedical applications. The new designs offer interesting advantages over previous approaches, such as more design freedom, more effective fabrication, better bonding quality, and a higher degree of maneuverability and integration. CFD modeling is performed to simulate the microthruster performance. FEM modeling is carried out to simulate the ignition process. Single microthruster and microthruster arrays are successfully fabricated using MEMS and LTCC technologies. The microcombustion, thrust and impulse experiments have proven the feasibility of the novel designs, validated the CFD modeling and characterized the microthruster performance. A wireless circuitry is developed to realize array addressing and control the ignition. The FEM modeling is validated by the measurements using the circuitry.