Development Status of 4N Class Low-Cost Thrusters Manufactured by 3D-Printed Metals

Abstract

IHI Aerospace previously developed a small (approximately 0.5 N) and low-cost green monopropellant thruster by using additive manufacturing (AM, 3D printing technologies). Based on this development research and small satellite market research, the development plan of an additively manufactured 4N-class thruster fabricated using flight-proven thruster materials was drafted. This paper reports the development status of an additively manufactured 4N thruster fabricated using Inconel® 625 and hydrazine as fuel. We adopted the binder jetting approach as the AM method instead of laser or electron beam welded methods to reduce the flow resistance, number of thruster parts, and welding process. A thruster firing test and a vibration test were conducted after a prototype thruster was assembled, and we confirmed that the thruster was well designed and possessed fundamental thruster performances.