Overview

NASA Psyche is a space exploration mission that will study an asteroid orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. The Psyche spacecraft will collect data from this asteroid during a series of orbits. The spacecraft will reach and orbit the asteroid using a Hall-Effect Thruster. Hall-Effect Thrusters (HETs) generate thrust by utilizing ionized xenon gas. The thrust depends, in part, on the Xenon gas supplied to both the anode and cathode of the Hall-Effect Thruster. Therefore, a Xenon Flow Controller (XFC) is needed to precisely control Xenon flow rates entering the Hall-Effect Thruster. The primary goal of this capstone project is to design, build, and test a Xenon Flow Controller (XFC) prototype that would supply a spacecraft with the fuel necessary to complete a similar mission. High-pressure containers aboard the spacecraft are used to store the xenon. The first stage of our XFC design will regulate the pressure down to workable levels. Our design includes a pressure management assembly used to achieve pressure control. Our XFC has two outlets connected to the anode and cathode of the HET. Two proportional flow control valves precisely control the mass flow entering the anode and cathode. Sensors record flow properties at two important locations within the XFC.  Our XFC design uses the flow diagnostic data to correct any deviation from target flow rates. On a spacecraft, solar panels would be used to supply the XFC with power at a standard value, which would then be regulated to meet the needs of the controller. Our XFC prototype housing will also incorporate insulation layers to protect from the environment of space.