Manchester team develops 3D-printable cold-gas thruster tool

(SpaceEnergy) University of Manchester researchers have developed a design tool intended to simplify development of 3D-printable cold-gas propulsion systems for nanosatellites.

The researchers said only about 5% of operational nanosatellites and CubeSats are equipped with propulsion, limiting their ability to manoeuvre or respond to changing mission requirements.

Their proposed design tool is intended to help nanosatellite developers configure simple cold-gas thruster systems suitable for additive manufacturing, reducing barriers to incorporating propulsion into small spacecraft.

Cold-gas systems are widely used on small satellites because of their relatively simple architecture and operation compared with more complex propulsion technologies. The Manchester team said the tool is intended to improve spacecraft resilience by making such propulsion systems more accessible to nanosatellite manufacturers.

The research became publicly available through the Small Satellite Conference repository on 22 August and was presented in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 24 August.