NASA has completed the ground tests of the small satellite called ASCENT, which will feed two different thrust engines from a common fuel tank. The CubeSat, about the size of a large shoebox, will use a chemical engine for quick maneuvers and an electric motor for slower, more efficient corrections. The new development is not proof that this architecture works in space; Completion of sealing, temperature and balance trials. The target for flight demonstration is October 1 at the earliest.
According to NASA’s statement dated September 25, separate tanks and pipe layouts can be used for high and low thrust in traditional satellites. The ASCENT experiment aims to reduce the space occupied by these parts by feeding both the combustion engine and electrospray thrusters with a single tank. Space savings could enable carrying more scientific equipment in the future; There is no announced cost savings rate for the current satellite.
The system includes a less dangerous propellant called ASCENT. NASA describes this fuel as ‘non-toxic’. This statement does not mean that all production and operation processes are risk-free; The agency’s benchmark is conventional hazardous space thrusters. While the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed the electrospray thrusters, Plasma Processes prepared the chemical module, and Georgia Tech participated in the integration of the satellite platform.
The common tank simplifies the design while providing reliable feeding to two different lines at the same time. That’s why Marshall Space Flight Center engineers conducted helium-pressurized leak tests. He then put the satellite into vacuum and varying temperature conditions. The spin test also evaluated whether the center of gravity and mass distribution were suitable for the planned flight. NASA reports that these ground tests have been completed.
ASCENT will try two different maneuvers in orbit
The next step is to integrate the solar panels, final system checks, and ship the hardware to the launch site. NASA plans to transport ASCENT from Vandenberg Base in California by SpaceX Falcon 9 on October 1 at the earliest. ‘Earliest’ is not the exact departure time; Rocket and payload preparation can change the schedule. Both engines in orbit need to be actually tested before the satellite’s mission is considered successful.
The planned settlement orbit is approximately 523 kilometers high. The nine-month mission will begin with a systems inspection, followed by short chemical and electrical propulsion maneuvers. In the following months, the satellite will switch between the two engines, raising and lowering its orbit. In this way, it will be measured whether the parts working separately on the ground can withstand space conditions in a single-warehouse system.
High thrust is useful when a larger speed change is required in a short time, while low thrust is useful for precise corrections over a long period of time. Packing these two capabilities into a small satellite could increase options for mission designers in the future. However, the ASCENT experiment should not be seen as a product announcement that will immediately replace the existing systems of all major satellites. NASA’s goal is to first demonstrate the feasibility of the dual-mode array in orbit.
If the demonstration is successful, the real value will be the possibility of increasing both available space and maneuverability on smaller platforms. The definitive data today is that the flight equipment has passed the stringent ground tests. It’s too early to tell definitive gains in range, efficiency or mission longevity until the results of the launch and nine-month trial become available.