The development of metal 3d-printed combustion chamber for a small satellite thruster

Space technology is the technology involving operations that take place outside of the Earth's atmosphere. It includes spacecraft, satellites, space stations, deep-space communication, etc. Everyday technology such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and some long-distance communications networks all rely heavily on space infrastructure. Space technology has enormous potential to benefit humanity. Internet connections, made possible by telecommunications satellites, enable us to maintain contact with family, friends, and colleagues. Extensive use of space technology is in the field of sustainable development. Maps of informal settlements can be created using satellite imagery. Because of their virtual invisibility on spatial maps such as Google Earth, public amenities such as sanitation and roads are frequently limited or unavailable in informal communities. Residents of informal settlements are creating comprehensive maps of their regions using remote sensing data from satellites. These are only a few of the numerous ways in which space technology may be utilized in society to enhance sustainability in any country. Thailand's government has suggested incorporating the World Health Organization's sustainable development goals into the country's national policy. Given the potential influence of space technology on job development and income production, the national policy is then turned into action via the 20-Year National Space Master Plan. One component of this strategy is to be able to manufacture space-related equipment using Thai resources. This is to ensure that Thailand is self-sufficient in terms of space technology development. The ultimate goal of this research project is to conform to the country's strategy of developing space-related technology using Thai resources.

    Thai Space Consortium (TSC) was formed with the collaboration of 12 partners to do research on space technology for Thailand. Their objective is to build a satellite for space operations while employing as many Thai resources as feasible. TSC-Pathfinder, their first satellite, will be launched in 2022. TSC-Pathfinder is a satellite equipped with an optical telescope that is primarily used for earth observation. This satellite is still manufactured in China without employing any Thai resources. TSC's next step is to build TSC-1, a satellite equipped with a hyperspectral imager. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council has already accepted this proposal. TSC has said that TSC-1 would launch by the end of 2025. This satellite is anticipated to be built with 50% Thai equipment. There is still some technology that cannot be developed in a reasonable amount of time for this satellite. Prior to launching TSC-1, TSC intended to send equipment to orbit via CubeSat, a miniature satellite for space research, to verify the equipment's validity. Satellites are the most exciting field of space technology to examine. Satellites are used for a variety of applications, including scientific research, exploration, communication, and defense. Thailand's inability to create all of the equipment necessary for satellites is mostly due to a lack of knowledge and skills required to develop and construct components that require advanced understanding, such as in-space propulsion systems. Thailand is well-known among automotive manufacturers for its structural and electrical component production. Thailand was even the largest automotive manufacturer in Southeast Asia in 2016. This should not be difficult to translate into the construction and electronics parts of the satellite. On the other hand, satellite propulsion systems require expertise in a variety of areas, ranging from plasma physics to mechanical engineering. At the moment, we must purchase technology or acquire expensive equipment from overseas to create our own satellite. For example, the cost of a MEMS-based propulsion system for CubeSats weighing up to 1 kilogram to compact micro satellites weighing up to 100 kilograms is between 3,200,000 and 5,500,000 million baht per system [1]. As a result, it would benefit Thailand to minimize reliance on imports if we could manufacture our own propulsion system. TSC expressed interest in partnering with us to produce this component. To build technology sustainably, we must have a full understanding of how each mechanism in the technology operates. As a steppingstone to this technology, we will begin with the simplest propulsion system which is chemical thruster.

    Chemical thrusters are the most often used type of in-space propulsion technology. In compared to electric thrusters, chemical thrusters have the benefit of being simple to build and producing a relatively high thrust, resulting in a rapid reaction during maneuvers. We are particularly interested in monopropellant thrusters. A propellant is decomposed in a monopropellant thruster via a catalyst bed to generate a high-temperature gas suited for propulsion. The process of constructing a chemical thruster for a satellite is divided into three stages: design, fabricate, and testing. The challenge in developing technology for space applications is the great degree of precision required. Maintaining a spacecraft in orbit is impossible. This is when the design process comes into play. The design process must be deliberate in order to account for every detail. Rather of depending on trial and error with a physical prototype, we may be able to replace this process with simulation techniques. Not only can simulation help in the design process, but may also provide insight on the propulsion system. This tool will come in handy if we decide to update this area in the future. 3D printing technology is used for the fabrication process because of the complex geometry and low volume production requirements. Not only can we save production costs and time by employing 3D printing technology, but we can also build more sophisticated and efficient geometry. During the testing phase, all prototypes will be placed in a thermal vacuum chamber that replicates the space environment. Additionally, our prototype will be sent into orbit via CubeSat during the proof-of-concept phase supporting by TSC.

          The primary outcome of this project is to gain expertise and knowledge in chemical thruster technology and to transmit such expertise and information to Thai space businesses. This technology is critical for Thailand's space ecosystem's development. The primary benefit of this technology is the reduction of reliance on imported technology and components.