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Parker, J. Morgan

Publications and source records attributed to Parker, J. Morgan.

6 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

A Micro Newton Impulse-Bit Hydrazine Thruster - Design, Test, and Mission Applications

A small thruster, that will herein be called the Hydrazine milliNewton Thruster (HmNT), has been designed and vacuum hot-fire tested, demonstrating a range of thrust and impulse far below the current state-of-the-art (SOA) hydrazine thruster. Steady-state thrust levels of 35–135 mN, and minimum impulse-bits of 25–120 μN-s were demonstrated over a typical operating range of inlet pressures. These capabilities provide new spacecraft and mission design options, including the following: Functional backup for Reaction Wheel Assemblies (RWAs), which can be used to prolong the useful life of RWAs; RWA replacement for certain missions to save mass, power, and cost; Precision delta-V that can be used for: proximity operations and docking maneuvers, formation flying, primary attitude control for SmallSats and CubeSats, and primary delta-V for CubeSats.

Scharf, Daniel P.↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Micro Newton Impulse-Bit Hydrazine Thruster - Design, Test and Mission Applications

Recent and numerous failures of reaction wheels have cut short and/or limited the mission functions of several spacecraft including DAWN, Mars Odyssey, and Kepler among others. A micro Newton impulse-bit hydrazine thruster has the potential to backup or even replace reaction wheels on most missions, thereby extending mission life. This paper will discuss the development and test of a plug-and-play hydrazine thruster with 30 – 130 milliNewton thrust levels, and impulse bits < 50 microNewton-sec. In addition, this paper will address mission applications that include backup for, or even replacement of reaction wheels, delta-V thrust for CubeSats, and primary attitude control for the 20 – 50 kg class of spacecraft.

Parker, J. Morgan↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a companion human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion system must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned-exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system being co-developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS0 thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, the status of the NASA in-house thruster and power processing activity, and an update on flight hardware.

Electric Propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission

The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a subsequent human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion subsystem must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as an enabling element of an affordable beyond low-earth orbit human-crewed exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, a status on the NASA in-house thruster and power processing is provided, and an update on acquisition for flight provided.

Ion Propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2005

The Minimum Impulse Thruster

The Minimum Impulse Thruster (MIT) was developed to improve the state-of-the-art minimum impulse capability of hydrazine monopropellant thrusters. Specifically, a new fast response solenoid valve was developed, capable of responding to a much shorter electrical pulse width, thereby reducing the propellant flow time and the minimum impulse bit. The new valve was combined with the Aerojet MR-103, 0.2 lbf (0.9 N) thruster and put through an extensive Delta-qualification test program, resulting in a factor of 5 reduction in the minimum impulse bit, from roughly 1.1 milli-lbf-seconds (5 milliNewton seconds) to - 0.22 milli-lbf-seconds (1 mN-s). To maintain it's extensive heritage, the thruster itself was left unchanged. The Minimum Impulse Thruster provides mission and spacecraft designers new design options for precision pointing and precision translation of spacecraft.

thruster↗