Tests of a mockup of a transformable module for space and planetary stations

Abstract

During the period of 2012 through 2015, RSC Energia, on its own initiative, within the framework of investment project Development of a Prototype Transformable Habitable Space Module, conducted an independent effort to design transformable modules, as well as to construct and perform ground developmental testing of a scale model of a transformable module. The test program was intended to verify and confirm the chosen design and layout solutions with respect to functioning, pressure integrity, strength of the product, as well as to acquire data about amplitude frequency response of the transformable shell. The paper presents descriptions of the tests that have been conducted, their objectives and achieved results, it describes experimental facilities and procedures for the tests. It draws conclusions based on the results produced by the effort, and outlines ways and options for further developmental testing on the mockup of the transformable module. Key words: transformable module, multilayer transformable pressurized shell, experimental development, testing.

On the Possibility of Using Water As a Propellant for Powerful Plasma Thrusters

“…The capabilities of well-designed ion or stationary plasma thrusters in combination with solar batteries are limited to a few tens of kilowatts. At present, flight variants of ion and Hall plasma thrusters with a power of about 5 kW are quite well tested and thruster models for 35-50 kW are being investigated, which, apparently, is the power limit for one module [4,5]. To provide a megawatt power level, it is proposed to use a large number of thrusters with a power of tens of kilowatts (well-tested structures working on xenon) or the development of other types of thrusters with higher power, and using other working substances -argon, lithium, iodine.…”