ARCJET DEVELOPMENT FOR AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE

The radio amateur satellite P3-D, weighing 400 kg, will be launched in to a highly elliptical 16-h orbit in 1996. Its final orbit control wil t be performed by a 750-W ammonia arcjet system. This work describes t he arcjet system and its components as well as the qualification and o peration philosophy. The implications of the satellite, the planned or bit, and the orbit control strategy for the arcjet propulsion system a re also explained. The thruster system has passed two lifetime qualifi cation tests lasting 670 and 1010 cycles with one hour of arcjet opera tion per cycle, which are briefly discussed.