http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/news/recent.php http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/for_radio_operators/overview.php http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stps26/status.html FASTRAC （带有推力、相对导航和姿态控制的编队自主飞行）任务 Is In Orbit! November 20, 2010 FASTRAC was launched into orbit on Friday November 19 at 7:21 pm Central Standard Time! It was successfully inserted by a Minotaur IV rocket into a 650 km altitude, 72 degree inclination orbit. FASTRAC has been transmitting beacon and crosslink data which have been received by amateur radio operators around the world. Control of the satellite was transferred to The University of Texas at Austin shortly after launch vehicle separation at 7:56 pm. The first known FASTRAC beacon received from space was reported by DK3WN in Germany at 12:01 am (CST) November 20. The two FASTRAC satellites, Emma and Sara Lily, were both heard transmitting to ground and crosslinking with each other. Since then, radio contacts have been reported by amateur radio operators around the world. The University of Texas at Austin Ground Station heard the FASTRAC beacon in its first pass over Austin at 6:22 am. The station plans to verify the command link at the earliest opportunity. Once this occurs, the mission will enter its initial subsystem checkout phase. All satellite systems appear to be functioning as planned based on first look data. The FASTRAC mission is divided into two basic phases. The first phase is the science portion of the mission. During this phase the two satellites will be sharing GPS data as long as they are within range of each other. The GPS data will be processed on board each satellite and then stored in flash memory to calculate an on-orbit relative navigation solution. Also, the satellites will be performing attitude determination with the GPS receiver. FASTRAC 1 will be firing the micro-discharge plasma thruster whenever the thrust vector is within 15 degrees of the anti-velocity vector. The data will be relayed to the ground when the satellite is in communication with a ground station. A coordination plan is being developed so that participating amateur radio ground stations can play a major role in collecting this data and relaying it back to this Web site. The second phase of the mission begins by reconfiguring the satellites for use by the amateur radio community. The satellites will be reconfigured so that they can be used as digipeaters and form part of the Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) network. The capabilities of these satellites are governed largely by the functionality of the Kantronics KPC9612-Plus TNC. The satellites will be reconfigured after the primary mission to serve on the APRS network.
The Microcavity Discharge Thruster (MCD) is a novel electrothermal thruster concept. It relies on flat panel microplasma heritage, realizing discharges in cavities as small as 10 m in diameter at pressures up to well above 1 atm. Gas temperatures may reach 1500 K or higher at up to 2 W of power deposited per cavity, and if expanded through a nozzle, an electrothermal microthruster array concept can be realized. The thruster concept consists of two perforated aluminum foil electrodes onto which an aluminum oxide layer is grown. The two electrode sheaths are then bonded, and the perforations form the discharge cavities. A chemical etch forms a nozzle for each cavity at one side of the electrode sheath. Applying a 50-150 kHz, 400-1200 VAC to the electrodes creates alternating electric fields inside the gas filled cavity, leading to low (1%) degrees of ionization and subsequent heating of the partially ionized gas in the alternating electric field.
太阳帆推进是一种新型的无工质推进技术（即不需要携带任何推进剂），依靠反射太阳光光子而产生推力。人类利用这项技术，最终将能实现不用燃料，而只依靠太阳能在太空航行的梦想。 日本宇宙航空研究开发机构的一份声明上说：我们经证实，升至距离地面大约770万公里的伊卡洛斯已经完全展开，它上面的薄膜太阳能电池也已经产生电流。 ( http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/06/20100611_ikaros_e.html ) Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator 'IKAROS' Successful Solar Sail Deployment June 11, 2010 (JST) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) began to deploy the solar sail of the Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator IKAROS on June 3 (Japan Standard Time). On June 10 (JST,) we have confirmed that it was successfully expanded and was generating power through its thin film solar cells at about 770 km from the Earth. The IKAROS was launched on May 21, 2010 (JST), from the Tanegashima Space Center. We will measure and observe the power generation status of the thin film solar cells, accelerate the satellite by photon pressure, and verify the orbit control through that acceleration. Through these activities, we will ultimately aim at acquiring navigation technology through the solar sail. Sail Deployment First stage deployment taken by a monitor camera Image of the view at the time of first stage deployment * In the above computer graphic, the sails in the process of deployment look like they are slightly swelling, but they are actually not as expanded as shown in the CG. Second stage deployment completion taken by a monitor camera * Harness: electric connection between the membrane and the main body * Tether: mechanical connection between the membrane and the main body Image of the view after completing the second stage deployment
（ http://www.spacemart.com/reports/USAF_Eyes_Mini_Thrusters_For_Use_In_Satellite_Propulsion_999.html ） USAF Eyes Mini-Thrusters For Use In Satellite Propulsion A prototype of a miniature electrospray thruster with four rows of ion emitters is shown here. The thruster is contained within two black plates each measuring about one square inch. Credit: Credit: Dr. Paulo Lozano, MIT by Staff Writers Wright Patterson AFB OH (SPX) Mar 04, 2010 Mini- thrusters or miniature, electric propulsion systems are being developed, which could make it easier for the Air Force's small satellites, including the latest CubeSats, to perform space maneuvers and undertake formidable tasks like searching for planets beyond our solar system . With Air Force Office of Scientific Research funding, researchers led by Dr. Paulo Lozano at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are considering the advantages of electric propulsion over more traditional chemical rocketry. As a result, they have discovered ionic liquid ion sources which are the core elements of the mini-thruster. In addition to the benefits anticipated for small satellites, the technology may have applicability in completely different areas. Fast-moving ions coming out from the mini-thrusters can be used to etch semiconductors to create patterns in the nanometer scale, to fabricate computer chips or small mechanical devices, said Lozano. The team is interested in the properties that allow advances in travel between different orbits in space and the ability for spacecraft to self-destruct upon controlled re-entry, therefore preventing the creation of additional space debris. Lozano predicts that he will have a mini-thruster prototype developed in about four or five months and he expects the technology to become a reality in the next two years. He plans to begin measuring the velocity of the ions and their energy as soon as the prototype is ready to determine the thrust and efficiency of the engine. Later this year, the team will begin looking at how to integrate mini-thrusters to flight hardware. （ http://www.space.cetin.net.cn/index.asp?modelname=new_space%2Fnews_nrFractionNo=titleno=XWEN0000recno=65734 ） 美国空军着眼于将迷你推力器用于卫星推进 新闻发布时间：2010-03-04 迷你推力器或小型电推进系统正在开发中，它们将使得空军的小卫星（如最新的立方体卫星）更易执行太空机动，并完成像寻找太阳系外行星这样艰巨的任务。 利用美国空军科学研究办公室的资金，由美国麻省理工学院罗扎诺博士领导的研究人员，正在考虑电推进与传统化学火箭相比具有的优势。结果，他们发现“离子性液体离子源”是迷你推力器的核心元素。 迷你推力器可使太空中的航天器在不同轨道间移动，也能够让航天器在受控再入时自毁，由此防止产生额外的太空垃圾。除了应用于小卫星，此项技术还可能应用于完全不同的领域。产生于迷你推力器的快速移动离子能被用于蚀刻半导体，由此创造出纳米级模式，制造计算机芯片或小型化学装置。 罗扎诺博士预测，在未来4或5个月内将开发出迷你推力器的样机，他希望此项技术在未来2年将变为现实。他计划一旦确定了样机发动机的推力和效率，就开始测量离子的速度和它们的能量。今年晚些时候，该团队将开始考虑如何将迷你推力器集成到飞行硬件上。（中国航天工程咨询中心 谢慧敏 郭多娴）
标签: 微推进
