To date, around 340 picosatellites have been launched into Space. Particularly, the pocketqube class launches are experiencing an unprecedented growth; around 70 have been launched only this last year, 2022. This increasing trend is motivated by the extremely low cost of manufacturing and launching these satellites, which, together with their increase of functionalities thanks due to the miniaturization of multiple technologies, has become an attractive business opportunity for several IoT companies. However, these small satellites are lacking one of the most critical enabling technologies: adequate on-board propulsion solutions. The extremely limited volume, mass, and power available in these platforms represents a huge challenge for propulsion providers. This project aims to pave the way to commercialization of ATHENA-pi, the first electric propulsion system for picosatellites.
In response to the perceived market need, ienai SPACE is developing ATHENA, a novel on-board Electric Propulsion (EP) product which combines a hardware system based on “electrospray” thruster technology (simple, highly efficient and scalable) and ienai GO and ienai 360, a software suite for mission analysis. The ATHENA thruster is an innovative electric thruster among other micro-propulsion options in the EP family (which, compared to classical chemical propulsion solutions, are attractive due to the exponential reduction of propellant mass and volume, of critical importance in smaller satellites). Most thrusters are based on existing (plasma based) technologies which have been scaled to lower power with mostly disappointing results, typically entailing sizable losses in efficiency; furthermore, existing thrusters are optimized for very specific operation points, limiting their use within different mission scenarios. By contrast, ATHENA can operate at very low variable power (1-40W, with applications up to 100W), while retaining high efficiency (over 50%, 3-4 times better than competing EP technologies) and may be arbitrarily scaled to higher powers if needed; this is done, primarily, through a modular approach, which allows for the selection of the number of individual thruster modules, also providing the system with redundancy. In addition, they offer a compact form factor and lower complexity (no pressurized vessels, valves, cathodes, high intensity magnets/coils or high-frequency electronics), which is expected to translate into ease of integration, lower costs and significant reductions in dry mass. The thruster uses pre-loaded, non-toxic and low-cost propellants and has a negligible thermal footprint. We consider that, with respect to driving forces in the market, electrospray thrusters are uniquely suited for micro-propulsion.
The first MVP of the ATHENA thruster is currently undergoing the last stages of technology readiness before flight. Dubbed ATHENA-π, it is a pico-satellite version of the thruster with 1W of input power, 30uN of thrust, 56% total efficiency and enough propellant do deliver 350h of firing. Flight qualification in ground was carried out throughout Q4 2021 and we reached orbit in Q4 2022, demonstrating the capability to extend mission lifetime in pico-satellites. The first experimental flight of the system is a critical milestone on the road to commercialization, since flight qualification is a “must” in the space industry.
The main objectives of this project is to take ATHENA-π from a flight qualification campaign carried out in October 2022 to a commercial success, including the initial scale-up industrialization efforts and supporting financial structure. An overall deliverable will be an evaluation report describing how the funding and the mentoring and coaching supported the company and the woman leader; to be delivered at end of project.
