(AIAA LA-LV) Student led micro-satellite and micro-propulsion development

When: Mar 20, 2019 from 05:30 to 09:00 (PT)

Associated with Los Angeles-Las Vegas Section

(RSVP & Information on http://goo.gl/XFxjiT)
AIAA LA-LV Section 3/20 Dinner Meeting

Wednesday, March 20th, 2019

Student led micro-satellite and micro-propulsion development

Dr. Amelia Greig

Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering Department

California Polytechnic State University

San Luis Obispo, California

What?

Considered by many as the home of the CubeSat, Cal Poly has a long standing heritage of CubeSat development, testing and launch. The Cal Poly CubeSat Lab, comprises approximately 70 students from across engineering, science, marketing, business and graphic arts majors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The unique set-up of the Cal Poly CubeSat lab revolves around students performing all daily tasks associated with the lab, both technical and administrative. Through student led efforts, the 10th Cal Poly student CubeSat recently reached orbit.

The next steps in the advancement of CubeSats at Cal Poly is the development of suitable micro-propulsion systems to extend mission possibilities. There are three categories of propulsion systems of interest; low thrust, high Isp thrusters for precision pointing and control, medium thrust, medium Isp thrusters for non-time critical orbital maneuvers, and high thrust low Isp thrusters for rapid maneuvering. To fit these categories electrospray, plasma electrothermal, and monopropellant thrusters are under development at Cal Poly, in various stages of progress.