SOLAR THERMAL PROPULSION FOR MICROSATELLITES END-OF-LIFE DE-ORBITING

This paper shows solar thermal propulsion (STP) for satellite end-of-life de-orbiting investigation. It includes successful experimental results of about 4 mm and 10 mm cavity diameter windowless type of thrusters made of stainless steel, single crystal molybdenum or tungsten (SC-Mo, SC-W) with W-CVD coating. The propellant in the thrusters is heated up to about 2,300 K at the highest (800 s of Isp for hydrogen propellant) by concentrated solar energy. Also, it presents ultra-light weight solar concentrators of 640 mm in diameter and a plan of space proven test of STP for a Japanese 50 kg class microsatellite as end-of-life de-orbiting propulsion system from GTO or a 800 km altitude circular orbit.