Attitude control and drag compensation propulsion system for Gravity Probe-B spacecraft

Abstract

An on board propulsion system for attitude control and drag compensation is presented which uses helium boiloff gas from an experiment package dewar as propellant. This boiloff gas would normally be vented nonpropulsively. Use of a small allowable temperature range in the dewar is exploited to store helium and accommodate incompatibilities in dewar heat leak and thruster demand flow over periods of more than one orbit. A relatively detailed thermodynamics analysis of the two phase helium dewar and simulation of pressure loss through the helium distribution system is included.