Existing microactuator limitations prevent control of small-scale, spin-stabilized vehicles. These applications require actuators insensitive to shock that have forces on the order of Newtons and millisecond control periods. This research presents batch-fabrication lamination approaches for the realization of large arrays of high-impulse, short-duration gas generator actuators (GGAs), and system implementation approaches to integrate these GGAs into a small-scale, spin-stabilized projectile for the purpose of generating steering forces on the projectile. Electronic packaging and MEMS processing are combined to batch-fabricate millimeter-scale GGAs insensitive to large shocks. Robust, prefabricated thermoplastic and metal films are patterned by laser machining or photolithography, and multilayer devices are assembled by adhesive lamination. The GGAs remained operational after 10,000 g shocks. Optimized design and propellant selection enables control of the force profile and actuation timing. Rapid force rise times are achieved using appropriately selected solid propellants and specially designed hot-wire igniters that create a larger combustion fronts. By reshaping the combustion profile of the solid propellant, tens of Newtons are generated within milliseconds. In addition to force control, the timing of the force application was controllable to within 1 ms for optimized GGAs. Performance results demonstrate that GGA actuator arrays actuate within appropriate timescales and with enough authority to control a 40 mm projectile with a spin rate of 60 Hz. After actuator characterization, GGAs, control electronics, and power supply are mounted into a 40 mm diameter projectile, and a full flight system was flown to demonstrate divert authority of the GGAs.

Because of thermal transients and gradients occurring upon rapid heating or cooling, microcomponents made from High-Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (HTCC) often fail at temperatures far below what the materials can withstand per se. This work investigates how resistance to thermal fracture in HTCC microcomponents can be increased by improving the component design, aiming at increasing the thermal performance of a microthruster with integrated heaters. The effect of four design parameters:  component and cavity geometries (circular or square), heater placement (central or peripheral), and addition of embedded platinum layers, on thermal fracture resistance was investigated experimentally through a study employing design of experiments. Components of different designs were manufactured, and their thermal fracture resistance tested by rapid heating until the occurrence of failure. Peripheral heater placement and presence of embedded platinum layers were seen to improve resistance to thermal fracture, whereas the shape of the component and the cavity did not significantly affect thermal performance. The most favourable design was then applied for a microthruster that was fabricated and evaluated with respect to thermal fracture resistance. The microthruster survived rapid heating up to 1461°C, and was operated as a cold gas microthruster at temperatures up to 772°C. None of these temperatures were limited by component failure, but by the component interface.

<p>In this report, microrockets from the company NanoSpace were studied using schlieren imaging techniques. The rocket chips are manufactured using MEMS technology, which requires compromises regarding the shape of the nozzle. The rocket chips are 22x22x0.85 mm, manufactured from laminated silicon. The nozzles are approximately 20 µm wide at the throat, and 350 µm wide at the exit. A semi in-line schlieren apparatus was designed, set up, and aligned. A small vacuum chamber was constructed, and a series of tests was conducted in order to qualitatively evaluate the consequences of these compromises, and other performance issues. It was found that the existing 1 kW quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp was sufficient as a light source, standard photographic equipment served well as an imaging device, and a 400 mm, f/7.9 achromatic doublet as schlieren lens, resolved enough detail in the exhaust gas to perform the studies. At maximum magnification, the viewing area was 7 by 4.5 mm, captured at 14 Mpixel, or about 1.5 µm/pixel. Several different rocket chips were studied, with helium, nitrogen and xenon as propellant gases. Feed pressure ranged from 0.5 bar to 3.5 bar, and the rockets were studied at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum, and with and without heaters activated. Through these studies, verification and visualization of the basic functionality of the rockets were possible. At atmospheric pressure, slipping of the exhaust was observed, due to the severe overexpansion of the nozzle. In vacuum, the nozzle was underexpanded, and the flow was seen to be supersonic. There was a measurable change in the exhaust with the heaters activated. It was also shown that the method can be used to detect leaks, which makes it a valuable aid in quality control of the components.</p>

In this report, microrockets from the company NanoSpace were studied using schlieren imaging techniques. The rocket chips are manufactured using MEMS technology, which requires compromises regarding the shape of the nozzle. The rocket chips are 22x22x0.85 mm, manufactured from laminated silicon. The nozzles are approximately 20 µm wide at the throat, and 350 µm wide at the exit. A semi in-line schlieren apparatus was designed, set up, and aligned. A small vacuum chamber was constructed, and a series of tests was conducted in order to qualitatively evaluate the consequences of these compromises, and other performance issues. It was found that the existing 1 kW quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp was sufficient as a light source, standard photographic equipment served well as an imaging device, and a 400 mm, f/7.9 achromatic doublet as schlieren lens, resolved enough detail in the exhaust gas to perform the studies. At maximum magnification, the viewing area was 7 by 4.5 mm, captured at 14 Mpixel, or about 1.5 µm/pixel. Several different rocket chips were studied, with helium, nitrogen and xenon as propellant gases. Feed pressure ranged from 0.5 bar to 3.5 bar, and the rockets were studied at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum, and with and without heaters activated. Through these studies, verification and visualization of the basic functionality of the rockets were possible. At atmospheric pressure, slipping of the exhaust was observed, due to the severe overexpansion of the nozzle. In vacuum, the nozzle was underexpanded, and the flow was seen to be supersonic. There was a measurable change in the exhaust with the heaters activated. It was also shown that the method can be used to detect leaks, which makes it a valuable aid in quality control of the components.

Aiming at applications in space exploration as well as for monitoring natural hazards, this thesis focuses on understanding and overcoming the challenges of extending the applicability of microsystems to temperatures above 600°C as well as chemically harsh environments. Alumina and zirconia high-temperature co-fired ceramics (HTCC) with platinum as the conductor material, have in this thesis, been used to manufacture a wide range of high-temperature tolerant miniaturized sensors and actuators, including pressure and flow sensors, valves, a combustor, and liquid monopropellant microthrusters. Interfacing for high temperatures is challenging. One solution is to transfer the signal wirelessly. Here, therefor, wireless pressure sensors have been developed and characterized up to 1000°C. It is usually unwanted that material properties change with temperature, but by using smart designs, such changes can be exploited to sense physical properties as in the gas flow sensor presented, where the temperature-dependent electrical conductivity of zirconia has been utilized. In the same manner, various properties of platinum have been exploited to make temperature sensors, heaters and catalytic beds. By in-situ electroplating metals after sintering, even more capabilities were added, since many metals that do not tolerate HTCC processing can be added for additional functionality. An electroplated copper layer that was oxidized and used as an oxygen source in an alumina combustor intended for burning organic samples prior to sample analysis in a lab on a chip system, and a silver layer used as a catalyst in order to decompose hydrogen peroxide in a microthuster for spacecraft attitude control, are both examples that have been explored here. Ceramics are both high-temperature tolerant and chemically resistant, making them suitable for both thrusters and combustors. The corresponding applications benefit from miniaturization of them in terms of decreased mass, power consumption, integration potential, and reduced sample waste. Integrating many functions using as few materials as possible, is important when it comes to microsystems for harsh environments. This thesis has shown the high potential of co-fired ceramics in manufacturing microsystems for aggressive environments. However, interfacing is yet a major challenge to overcome.

<p>As the small satellite market has grown from a niche of the space economy to a full commercial force,  microthrusters remain an area of significant growth in the space industry as new technologies mature. The \textit{Film-Evaporation Microelectricalmechanical Tunable Array} (FEMTA) is one such device. FEMTA is \textit{microelectricalmechanical system} (MEMS) device that harnesses the microcapillary action of water and vacuum boiling to generate thrust. The water propellant is not chemically altered at all by the process; it is simply evaporated. This technology has been tested in relevant laboratory environments, and a suborbital flight opportunity in 2023 as a payload on a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket  will grant FEMTA a demonstration in a space environment. The flight will provide 150 seconds of weightlessness at the zenith of the suborbital flight path before the booster returns to land. During weightlessness, the experiment will be exposed to the ambient environment allowing for a full capability test of the thruster. The experiment is meant to demonstrate the propellant management system for FEMTA in 0G and measure the thrust produced by a FEMTA thruster.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The propellant management system portion of the experiment consists of an oversized version of the subsystem intended for use in the thruster. The propellant management system uses a hydrofluoroether to inflate a diaphragm to ensure constant wetting of the propellant tank exit and nozzle inlet. The experiment will take tank pressure data and flow sensor data to understand the system's behavior. The system is duplicated for redundancy and to double the possible data. This system requires further testing before being prepared for launch, vibrational testing, thermal testing, and vacuum testing. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The 0G thrust experiment and plume analysis portion of the experiment consists of numerical modeling and a novel thrust measurement approach. \textit{Direct Simulation Monte Carlo} (DSMC) is being applied to understand the pressure, density, and temperature distributions of the plume of water vapor produced by the FEMTA thruster. The FEMTA nozzle environment is challenging to simulate with computational fluid dynamics  or DSMC due to chaotic transient effects and because both the continuum and molecular regimes must be considered. The current analysis consisted of a two-dimensional model and investigated the effect of meniscus location and contact angle on thrust generated.</p> <p><br></p> <p>It is not possible to use traditional thrust measurement devices (sensitive torsional thrust stands or microsensors intended for use on small satellites) for microthrusters on a rocket booster. Two  novel approaches for performing thrust measurement in the range of 100 microNewtons have been investigated. The first approach ionizes the FEMTA thruster plume and analyzes the plasma by optical emission spectroscopy. The theory states that the relative intensity of a given wavelength observed correlates to the density of the species in the plasma. The density of water would be directly correlated to the thrust generated by FEMTA during the experiment, as more water is evaporated as thrust is increased. This method is no longer being considered for the suborbital experiment but did yield promising results. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The second approach employs a d'Arsonval meter, a photo-interrupt, and an Arduino controller. The d'Arsonval meter consists of a stationary permanent magnet with a moving coil and a pointer. Increasing the voltage in the coil causes a torque on the system due to the magnetic field induced by the permanent magnet. This torque causes a deflection of the pointer that is proportional to the voltage applied. The flag of the sensor will be placed in the path of the gas jet from the thruster. The force caused by the jet pressure will move the flag. An Arduino controller will vary the voltage to hold the flag in place. As the mass flow rate increases, the reaction force required to hold the flag in place will increase. This sensor can be calibrated using an analog cold gas system that passes various gases (air nitrogen, argon, etc.) through an orifice nozzle at mass flow rates that are set by a mass flow rate controller. DSMC analysis has been performed to understand the flow field and flow properties and how they directly relate to the force experienced by the flag sensor. </p> <p>An undergraduate course has supported parts of the work described in this dissertation. This course has applied the Vertically Integrated Projects approach to project-based learning. This method and its results were analyzed and lessons learned as well as a blueprint for future application of this method to other small satellite projects are discussed.</p>