CSU student's research could improve spacecraft thrusters

A postdoctoral researcher at Colorado State University has created a computer simulation that could double the time that spacecraft and satellites are floating in space.

The simulation, developed by Cody Farnell, working with Professor John Williams in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, improves the performance of an ion thruster's grids, which accelerate ions to high speed to give a spacecraft thrust. The research was published in the Journal of Propulsion and Power.

Ion propulsion uses electric power instead of chemical fuel as a thrust mechanism. An ion thruster converts electrical energy into thrust for spacecraft propulsion. That high-efficiency thrust keeps satellites and spacecraft floating above Earth for longer periods of time to accomplish their missions. Highly efficient ion thrusters are used by commercial groups and space agencies to keep satellites in proper orbit around Earth and to propel spacecraft on missions.

The ion thruster's grids may be the first component to wear out, causing the thruster to stop working. Farnell's simulation uses an evolutionary algorithm to control the grid variables — such as the size of the holes in the grid — to minimize erosion.

The simulation borrows evolutionary ideas to help design optimized grids by changing such variables as geometries (hole size, hole spacing, grid thickness, grid spacing) and voltages. The next step, Farnell says, is to test the optimized design in the laboratory.