IGF::OT::IGF BUSEK, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU), PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A VERSATILE 6U…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF BUSEK, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU), PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A VERSATILE 6U CUBESAT CAPABLE OF REACHING A LUNAR ORBIT FROM GEO. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE II EFFORT IS TO DEMONSTRATE A COMPLETE, MINI ION PROPULSION SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES ~3000SEC ISP HERETOFORE UNAVAILABLE TO CUBESATS, WITH A SOLID-STORABLE IODINE PROPELLANT. THIS TYPE OF PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE A HUGE MISSION ENABLER AND IDEAL FOR VOLUME-LIMITED SATELLITES SUCH AS CUBESATS. THE 6U BUS, COMBINED WITH ION PROPULSION, HAS ALREADY SHOWN BEING HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE TO SCIENCE PAYLOAD DEVELOPERS TARGETING THE UPCOMING SLS/EM-1 LUNAR MISSION. DURING PHASE I BUSEK SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED THE WORLD'S FIRST IODINE-FUELED GRIDDED ION THRUSTER BIT-3. KEY PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF BIT-3 INCLUDE A COMPACT DESIGN ENVELOPE (<2U VOLUME), NOMINAL 60W CONSUMPTION, HIGHLY-THROTTLEABLE THRUST OF ~1.4MN, AND ISP UP TO 3200SEC (NEARLY IDENTICAL AS WITH XENON). BIT-3 HAS A UNIQUE ADVANTAGE OF BEING IODINE-COMPATIBLE DUE TO ITS PLASMA GENERATION MECHANISM AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL. THE ABILITY TO USE IODINE AS PROPELLANT IS A TRUE GAMECHANGER FOR CUBESAT PROPULSION, BECAUSE IODINE CAN BE STORED AS A DENSE SOLID (AT 4.9G/CC) AND ITS SUB- TORR STORAGE PRESSURE ENABLES VERY LIGHTWEIGHT, EVEN PLASTIC TANKS. WITH A MERE 300CC IODINE TANK ONBOARD, THE BIT-3 THRUSTER IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING>2.8KM/S DELTA-V TO A 6U/12KG CUBESAT. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE LUNARCUBE PROGRAM IS TO UNDERTAKE A MISSION TO THE MOON FROM GEO OR A TRANSLUNAR TRAJECTORY (SUCH AS THE EM-1 DROP-OFF) THAT WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE PROPULSION SYSTEM, AND CARRY OUT A LUNAR SCIENCE PROGRAM AS A CAPABILITY DEMONSTRATION OF THE PLATFORM. DURING THIS MISSION, A RELATED GOAL IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT MUCH OF THE SPACECRAFT'S MINIATURE ELECTRONICS, PRIMARILY C&DH, COMMUNICATIONS, AND THE PROPULSION SYSTEM'S PPU CAN BE BASED ON LOW COST COMPONENTS AND SURVIVE THE HARSH DEEP-SPACE ENVIRONMENT.