Abstract for CubeSat-sized PPT

Small satellites are an emerging technology of interest to universities,

governments, and private corporations alike. Compared to their full size
counterparts, they provide inexpensive access to space for research or
equipment testing. A popular form for small satellites is the CubeSat
standard, which is defined as being composed of units of 10cm X 10cm X
10cm. To increase the capabilities of a CubeSat, the Advanced Propulsion
Laboratory is developing a pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) suitable for the
CubeSat form factor and power requirements. A PPT on a CubeSat could
provide thrust for orbital maneuvers as well as help with (precise pointing for
optimal data collection) <- i've never seen PPTs pitched for this, only that
they can be used for momentum desaturation. in the past typically we say
PPTs can be used for orbital transfers and orbital maintenance. Development
of a small PPT is not focused on making a small barrel, but rather on
miniaturizing the circuitry required to run the PPT (although we haven't put
too much effort into miniaturizing the barrel, i think in the future this will be
more important). There are two major components to the PPT circuitry, a
1000 volt main discharge capacitor and a 20,000 volt ignition transformer.
The first step in building both systems was researching components that
could withstand the high voltages, operate fast enough to provide short
delays between PPT firings, and that were small enough to fit on a CubeSat
while leaving room for other instruments (even before component selection
is topology/selection. for example, the charging system employs flyback DCDC conversion. and some important things you didn't state is that the is
design based on: optimal electrical efficiency, simplicity, and highest
mass/power efficiency). Additionally, because of the high voltages and the
transient nature of PPT operation circuitry was needed to protect the other
electric components of the CubeSat (idk what the sentence is refering). To
keep the footprint of the circuitry as small as possible breadboards were
abandoned for custom printed circuit boards designed using the Eagle
software tool. Currently components are being shipped to test the seventh
version of the circuit board layout. It will be tested with the goal of firing the
PPT once every second for at least an hour to prove that the system is ready
for a wide variety of missions. (this really isn't the goal right now. the new
electrical box employing v7 of the main discharge charger and using the EHT
IGBT switch will be able to fire at ridiculous firing rates, maybe ~200Hz)
lets talk tonight about this