Reduced Gravity Testing of a Refrigerant-Based Cold Gas Thruster

Miners in Space Thrusters Team Missouri University of Science and Technology Faculty Advisor: Dr. Pernicka Abstract Missouri S&T students have designed a cold gas thruster system to utilize the refrigerant R-134a as a saturated liquid propellant. Refrigerants offer a non-flammable solution, but have only been used as heat transfer fluid in space. The objective of this project is to validate the functionality of the Missouri S&T thruster system design in a realistic environment. The Miners in Space Thrusters team intends to fly the thrusters system in a microgravity environment on NASA’s C-9 Weightless Wonder in June 2008. To date, students have written a proposal to NASA demonstrating the experiment will provide meaningful data and be safe to fly on their aircraft. The proposal has been accepted and students are currently writing a Test Equipment Data Package to further verify the safety and functionality of the system. On the flight, thermodynamic properties and overall thrust produced will be monitored to evaluate the effectiveness of the system in a microgravity environment. Operating in microgravity will alter the fluid dynamics of the propellant, which may greatly affect system performance. While theoretical simulation and ground based testing can provide some knowledge as to the performance of the design, only through reduced gravity testing can the true performance of the saturated liquid system be realized. Analysis of the acquired data should show a deviation from the results for ground based testing; however, this deviation should be small. Successful evaluation and validation of the design will lead to the implementation of this system onboard a future student-designed satellite. The Miners in Space Thrusters Team: Joseph Siebert (President) – Joseph is a second year Masters student studying spacecraft propulsion. In August he plans on graduating and entering the space industry Tonya Sanders (Vice President) – Tonya is a senior in Aerospace Engineering from Independence, Missouri. As an undergraduate, she has worked for Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Following graduation, Tonya plans to pursue a graduate degree in her field at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Shawn Miller (Treasurer) – Shawn is a second year Masters student from Poplar Bluff, MO studying aerospace engineering. This summer he will be working for the Air Force Research Labs in Boston, MA. After completing his Masters degree he will begin pursuit of his Ph.D. Aubrey Tuk (Chief Engineer) – Aubrey is from Leawood, Kansas and is a senior in Aerospace Engineering. As an undergraduate, she has interned at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, KS. Following graduation, she will begin work for Lockheed Martin as a Systems Engineer. Hannah Longworth-Mills – Hannah is an Aerospace Engineering Junior from Webster Groves, MO. She plans on attending graduate school for astrodynamics. Ryan Pahl – Ryan is a senior in Aerospace Engineering from Eureka, MO. After graduation he plans on pursuing a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering with an emphasis on electric propulsion of spacecraft. Chad Stovall – Chad is from Lee’s Summit, MO, and is a freshman in Aerospace Engineering. He plans on applying for an aerospace-related internship for next summer. Adam Bonney – Adam is from St. Louis, MO and is a senior in Aerospace Engineering. Following graduation, he will begin work for ASE Technologies in Greenville, South Carolina. Amie Grant – Amy is a senior in Aerospace and Mechanical engineering.