Arkansas Space Grant Consortium2013-4 NASA Research Infrastructure Development Team

22nd ASGC Symposium Hot Springs, April 7, 2014

Adam Huang, Principal InvestigatorUniversity of ArkansasMechanical Engineering Department863 W. Dickson St., MEEG 105Fayetteville, AR 72703479-575-7485, phuang@uark.edu

Ed Wilson, Co-InvestigatorHarding UniversityDepartment of ChemistryBox 10849/915 East Market StreetSearcy, AR 72149-0849501-279-4513, wilson@harding.edu

Yupo Chan, Co-Investigator

University of ArkansasDepartment of Systems Engineering (EIT 544)

2801 South University AveLittle Rock, AR 72204-1099

501-569-8926, yxchan@ualr.edu

Development of Critical Technologies for Formation and Proximity Flight with Nano-Satellites

Satellite, Space Station

ISS ~180,000 kg (Nov 2005)

MILSTAR ~4,500 kg

Femto? Pico Nano Micro100kg10kg1kg0.1kg

AFRL XSS-10 ~29 kg

Aerospace PICOSAT1~300 grams

SSTL GSTB-V2A 600 kgSSTL SNAP-1 6.5 kg

What is a Nano-satellite?

Project ObjectivesMicro-Propulsion System (MPS):

UAF is tasked to develop a micro-propulsion system for nano-satellites that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and low- or non-pressurized at launch conditions. SAtellite Detection And Ranging Systems (SADARS):

Harding U. is tasked to design and implement a satellite detection system, using light emitting diodes (LEDs), that will be used to locate and uniquely identify each agent of a fleet of cooperative nano-satellites.

UALR is tasked to design a vision-based system for the nano-satellite fleet for ranging and formation keeping.

University Grade Nanosats-CubeSats

Stanford

Pumpkin™ Kits

6U (ARAPAIMA)

Project Description

thrusters

thrusters

Vision Scanning

LED Beacon

LED Beacon

LED Beacon

LED Beacon

• Two cooperating nano-satellites in formation flight from 50m-1km range.• Reference CubeSat design based on NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s

6U Bus.

NASA MSFC/UA 6U CubeSat testbed with 3-axis propulsion system

3-axis DOF(Yaw, Side, Axial)

8 Nozzles

6U

SPRITE Lab Proximity Ops CubeSat Demonstrator (TIP)

SPRITE Lab Proximity Ops CubeSat Demonstrator (TIP)

Atmospheric Pressure Cold-Gas Thruster

• The thruster pressure is driven by the surface tension at the nanopore membrane, which can be controlled by the electrolyte pressure and the heating of the membrane.

• Propellant pressure at launch and storage is atmospheric (vapor pressure).

Vapo

r/Ga

s

Vapor Membrane with Nanopores

Solenoid Valve

Aqueous Propellant

Propellant Tank

TTemperature Sensor

PPressure Sensor

Schrader Valve

MEMS 2-Phase SeparatorCoarse Filter

MEMS Heater/Temperature Sensor

Solenoid Valve Solenoid Valve

Fluid Mixer

T

Temperature Sensor

MEMS Nozzle

P

Pressure Sensor

• Water/Propylene Glycol– non-toxic– PG disrupts hydrogen bonding in

water– Theoretical Isp 85-108s

• Why not just PG?– High boiling point (188°C), affects

electronics– In-situ resource utilization

Propellant Selected

University of Arkansas 2

Previous Work

• Propylene Glycol Research

• AFM Nanolithography Research– Found/Reviewed

Manuals

• Journal Paper Review – Will be submitted Today

-55

-50

-45

-40

-35

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

00 25 50 75 100

Free

zing

Poin

t (°C

)

Weight Percent Solute

Freezing Point Depression(Mixed with Water)

Propylene Glycol

Ethylene Glycol

Specific Impulse (Water-PG Ratio)

Fraction PG

SADAR Processing Unit

http://www.logicsupply.com

• Need to remove fan and add thermal management devices for space applications.

• Currently being repackaged as a BallonSat payload for flight test demonstration.

Intel Next Unit of Computing (NUC, D54250WYB) as the SADAR subsystem processor.

http://techreport.com

Acknowledgments

• Students:John Lee, Mustafa Bayraktar, Maurisa Orona, and Drew Couch.

• Arkansas Space Grant Consortium 2012-13 NASA RID