Pendulum target scale for ion thruster thrust measurements

• Grant number: 06/04074-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2007
• End date: December 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering - Aerospace Propulsion
• Principal Investigator: Gilberto Marrega Sandonato
• Grantee: Paolo Gessini
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Associated Plasma Laboratory at INPE has been developing inert gas ion thrusters since 1985. The present degree of development of the ion thrusters demands an absolute measure of the thrust level, and this requests the project and the construction of a thrust balance. For constructive and operational reasons, as well as the researcher visitor's experience with this device, the pendulum target thrust balance was chosen to be developed and built at our laboratory. This balance will allow a more precise performance qualification of the present ion thrusters which will be later submitted to the space qualification tests. It is aimed to have a flight model ready to be launched and tested in the terrestrial orbit at the end of these tests (AU)