Design of the Calibration Trajectory and 3D-Printed Warm Gas Propulsion System for an Auxiliary CubeSat for the NASA JPL Europa Clipper Mission

Abstract

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is developing Europa Clipper, a spacecraft intent on studying the inner structure of Europa for signs of life. One of its primary instruments, the Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON) Antenna, is extremely difficult to calibrate on Earth, and consequently must be calibrated while en route to Jupiter by a small, auxiliary satellite. In Spring 2022, ES100 students proposed a Cube Satellite (CubeSat) mission, dubbed Calibration Post-Earth for REASON (CaliPER), to perform this calibration while en route. This report proposes a 3D-printed warm gas propulsion system to accomplish CaliPER mission objectives. Initial test results for specific impulse and thrust agree with theoretical predictions, which therefore support the theoretical success and performance of the full 56 m/s delta-V propulsion system. Further testing and iteration is required to produce a flight capable unit, and this report lays the foundation for this design and supports its validity