Modelling and simulation of monopropellant hydrazine thrusters for spacecraft position control

Abstract

Abstract Modelling of the kinetics of a 20‐N hydrazine thruster is carried out by considering two different heterogeneous reaction channels for hydrazine decomposition to the intermediate ammonia. The parameters of the reactor model are estimated by making use of temperature profiles at the wall of the decomposition chamber. Simulated ageing of the catalyst revealed an increase of the rate of deactivation with increasing total firing time.