Espace Inc — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: S16

Description

We are proposing the development of a new miniaturized and low power stand-alone ldquo;nano-thrusterrdquo; instrument, the Precision Ion Nano-Thruster (PINT) to perform very fine thrusting in support of precision attitude and pointing control on space platforms.The miniature precision device development effort will be based on previous Ramp;D results and experience, and proven technologies developed in collaborations between Espace Inc. and the MIT Space Propulsion Laboratory.nbsp;The effort will focus on the miniaturization of the electronics and the high precision control of micro-fabricated ion-electrospray thrusters, leveraging the state of the art in the technologies, and optimizing the micro-thrusters for fine control and stability.The ultimate objective of the PINT development will be rugged, industrially and economically manufactured, miniature stand-alone electric thrusters, providing precision controlled ion beams.