Citation
(2007), "ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH and Institute of Space Systems develop Du Pont Teflon PTFE as satellite propellant", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779daf.006
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH and Institute of Space Systems develop Du Pont Teflon PTFE as satellite propellant
ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik GmbH and Institute of Space Systems develop Du Pont Teflon PTFE as satellite propellant
Earth orbiting communications satellites are essential to the modern world. They receive and transmit billions of telephone, radio, television and other signals. Each satellite carries thrusters to keep it precisely positioned in orbit. One possibility for precise attitude and orbit control are electric thrusters. There are different kinds of electric thrusters. Amongst them is the instationary pulsed magnetoplasmadynamic thruster (I-MPDs), also referred to as pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs). I-MPDs commonly use Du Pont Teflon PTFE as solid propellant.
The advantage of these thrusters lies in their robust and compact system, as well as their reliability. Especially on small satellites where power is one of the tightest constraints, these electric thrusters offer a solution, since – due to their pulsed nature – it is possible to operate them on different power levels. Their ease in handling is derived from the use of solid propellant and offers a further advantage to the system. They are capable of delivering a small and precise impulse bit to the satellite, allowing for stable attitude and orbit control.
To date, these thrusters have successfully been used for altitude control purposes. However, because of its high exhaust velocities and the resulting high overall efficiencies of the thrusters, it is foreseen as main thrusters on the lunar mission BW1 (BW¼Baden Wurttemberg, a state in the southern part of Germany) scheduled to be launched by the end of this decade. The mission development and coordination lies in the responsibility of the Institute for Space Systems, IRS, Stuttgart.
The storage of the solid Teflon PTFE propellant is one of the major challenges within this project. Over 50kg needs to be stored space efficiently and must be available to the thrusters onboard the one cubic meter satellite. Since, the propellant undergoes extreme environmental temperature conditions it is important for the propellant structure to be totally internally stress free.