Design and development: A micro-propulsion system with propane propellant for small satellites

A micro-propulsion system has been designed and developed for an attitude and orbital control system for a three axis stabilized satellite and two spinning small satellites. In order to meet the requirements of the satellites, a cold-gas compressed nitrogen propulsion system and a liquefied gas propulsion system were both designed. By comparison, the performance of these two systems, the liquefied propulsion system is more suitable for the satellites. With a total mass of 3.6 kg, this propulsion system consists of propellant, dry mass, structural support and control electronics. Two aluminum alloy cylinder tanks ara capable of storing 0.6 kg liquefied propane at 0.85 MPa corresponding to 15 °C. The propellant is supplied to eight 50 mN thrusters at a steadily regulated pressure. The propellant passes through a latch valve, a heat transfer assembly and a filter before reaching the thrusters. Two pressure transducers are applied to monitor the propane propellant pressures in the tanks and at the inlet of the thruster, respectively. Thrusters opening and closing response times are less than 10 ms, while the specific impulse is about 730 N.s.kg^-1.