Output details

Development of an indirect counterbalanced pendulum optical-lever thrust balance for micro- to millinewton thrust measurement

Significance of output:

The influence of external forces in thrust measurement systems for spacecraft propulsion is problematic, since disturbances can be of the order of the measured thrust force (typically micro-to milli-Newtons). Systems are therefore designed for optimal performance over a limited thrust range to give sufficient resolution and uncertainty. The paper presents a novel indirect measurement system to allow the thrust range of the measurement system to be independently selected over 3 orders of magnitude with the resolution scaling proportionally, allowing a single system to cater for almost all ‘electric’ propulsion applications.