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The purpose of the work is to conduct autonomous experimental studies of an resistojet with two autonomous heating elements with a diameter of 4 mm. As a result of experimental studies of the resistojet, the heating dynamics of the micromotor structure and the working fluid (isobutane) in the power range from 5 W to 60 W is determined. Experimental studies have shown the possibility of using the proposed resistojet design with two autonomous heating elements not only on small spacecraft, but also on micro- and nanosatellites under conditions of limited on-board energy.

The paper presents a methodology for constructing a flyby trajectory of a base spacecraft for the purpose of inspecting it using a small spacecraft carried on board and estimating the required characteristic velocity reserves for the flyby maneuver. The use of approximate calculation methods made it possible to obtain the simplest dependences of trajectory parameters with high accuracy. The technique allows not only to estimate the energy costs for orbital maneuvers, but also allows one to calculate the values of control impulses for the real problem of controlling the motion of a small spacecraft relative to the base spacecraft.

The authors continue their work in the field of calorimetric studies of the parameters of an accelerated ionized gas jet of prototypes of microwave ion micro-thrusters with an energy consumption of up to 10 watts. This paper presents an improved calorimetric method. The introduction into the design of a heat receiver in the form of a thin screen makes it possible to allocate the thermal component formed by the passage of an electric current through the plasma in the accelerating gap. Calorimetric studies of the prototype with a two-electrode accelerating system are carried out at the same accelerating voltages and power of the microwave generator and different mass gas flow rates. It is shown that at a nitrogen consumption of 5,668•10–9 kg/s, the velocity of the mixed jet (neutral gas with ionized component) of the gas was 63,75 m/s, the jet thrust is 0,36 μN. With a nitrogen consumption of 1,611•10–8 kg/s, the speed of the mixed gas jet was 47,9 m/s, the jet thrust was 0,77 μN.

The article contains the authors’ research in the field of jet propulsion systems with low energy consumption of small spacecraft of the class of nanosatellites. The paper presents a microwave ion engine with double acceleration of ionized gas in the gaps formed by the end surfaces of cylindrical resonators. The results of an experimental study of the pressure force of a jet set of ionized gas by the aerodynamic double angle method are presented. A stand for determining the power parameters of week plasmajet is presented. The design of the prototype is presented. The total energy consumption of the prototype is 5 watts, the accelerated gas flow rate is up to 200 km/s, the jet pressure force on the sensing element of the stand is 0,1 μN. The working body of the prototype is nitrogen at a pressure in a vacuum chamber of 18 Pa.

In the paper have been discussed nanosetellite propulsion system normalization actual themes, as well their acknowledgement by the testing results. To secure needed survival probability P≥0,995, the propulsion system bottlenecks normalized values are defined. The results of propulsion system fatigue test and reliability evaluation also have been presented. The realized count of propulsion system pulse mode switching is 15700. The actual value testing propulsion system survival probability is P=0,9979. That confirms the ability of nanosatellite propulsion system demanded reliability.