Workshop on the topic of ‘Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion’
On 01.10.2024 and 02.10.2024, the working group ‘Ion Thrusters’ of Prof. Klar organised a workshop on ‘Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion’ (ABEP) at the JLU, which was supported by the GGN.
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The topic of air-breathing electric propulsion has become increasingly present in space travel in recent years. This novel propulsion system is designed to collect the residual atmosphere in a very low earth orbit with a collector, then compress it and finally use it as fuel for an electric thruster. If the residual atmosphere hits the satellite, drag is generated, which would slow it down further and further over time and eventually cause it to crash. It is therefore important that the thruster balances out this drag exerted on the satellite.
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The challenges in designing such a system include the constantly changing atmospheric conditions and the interdependence of all components. The orbital altitude determines the density of the atmosphere, which in turn determines the amount of propellant for the thruster due to the limited efficiency of the collector. The limited amount of fuel together with the limited electrical power on satellites determines the maximum thrust of the thruster. If this is lower than the drag exerted on the satellite under the specified conditions, the satellite loses altitude. The cycle starts all over again for the new altitude. In addition, the density and composition of the atmosphere is not only dependent on altitude, but also on time, solar activity, latitude and longitude. For this reason, it is necessary to design the system for all possible scenarios.
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In this workshop, participants from ESA (Netherlands), ArianeGroup (Germany), DLR (Germany), Von Karman Institute (Belgium), Technische Universität Dresden (Germany), University of Stuttgart (Germany), University of Surrey (UK), Oregon State University (USA), Charles III University of Madrid (Spain) and Sant'Anna School (Italy) discussed the above-mentioned challenges and other ideas. Various truster and collector concepts were discussed and some gaps in knowledge were filled. Each participant was able to present their own concept in a presentation. During the coffee breaks, the various challenges and approaches of the individual groups were discussed and knowledge was exchanged. During a nice dinner, which was sponsored by ArianeGroup, the individual contacts could be deepened.
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| (Text, Fotos: Jana Zorn) |
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