Scalable Microfabrication of Multi-Emitter Arrays in Silicon for a Compact Microfluidic Electrospray Propulsion...

Area of Science:

• Spacecraft propulsion systems
• Microfabrication and microfluidics
• Small satellite (SmallSat) technology

Background:

• Increasing demand for advanced propulsion in SmallSats necessitates compact, efficient electric propulsion solutions.
• Electrospray propulsion offers high efficiency and scalability, suitable for power constraints of SmallSats (CubeSats to MiniSats).

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the microfabrication of scalable, multi-emitter electrospray sources for SmallSat electric propulsion.
• To develop and validate a microfabrication and assembly process for these electrospray sources.

Main Methods:

• Development of a microfabrication and assembly process for multi-emitter electrospray sources.
• Fabrication of sources with 1, 64, and 256 emitters.
• Performance testing within a vacuum chamber simulating space propulsion environments.

Main Results:

• Successful microfabrication of scalable electrospray sources.
• Demonstrated excellent propulsive performance, including stable cone-jet mode, no beam impingement, and no hysteresis.
• Achieved nearly coincident output per emitter, attributed to microfluidic channels and precise alignment.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfabrication process enables the creation of high-performance, scalable electrospray propulsion systems for SmallSats.
• Key design elements, including microfluidic propellant distribution and precise emitter-extractor alignment, are critical for optimal performance.