Design of Chemical Propellant Thruster to Deorbit Nano satellite: StudSat II

TL;DR

This paper presents the design of a solid chemical propellant thruster for deorbiting the StudSat II nano satellite, ensuring compliance with space debris mitigation guidelines using simulation and engineering analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a novel solid monopropellant thruster design specifically for nano satellite deorbiting, combining CAD, flow analysis, and orbital transfer simulations.

Findings

Thruster components successfully designed in CATIA V5.

Combustion and flow analyzed in ANSYS.

Deorbit achieved using Hohmann transfer simulation.

Abstract

An increase in satellite application has skyrocketed the number of satellites, especially in the low earth orbit (LEO). The major concern today is that these satellites become debris after the end of life, negatively affecting the space environment. As per the International Guidelines of the European Space Agency, it is mandatory to deorbit the satellite within 25 years of its end of life. This paper is aimed to design the solid chemical propellant thruster to deorbit the StudSat II from its original orbit to the lower orbit. StudSat II carries the heritage of StudSat I, successfully launched on 12th July 2010 AD, and is the first Pico Satellite in India by the undergraduate students of seven engineering colleges. This paper explains how a solid monopropellant thruster could be used to deorbit the satellite after the end of life with the least difficulty compared to other active and passive methods of deorbiting. The deorbiting mechanism consists of a solid propellant, Convergent Divergent nozzle, ignition system, and electronic actuators. The components of the thruster were designed in the CATIA V5, and the combustion studies and flow analysis were done in ANSYS. The concept of Hohmann transfer was used to deorbit the satellite, and STK was used to simulate it.