Morgan supplies assemblies for Mercury mission
Morgan Advanced Ceramics
Ceramic/metal assemblies
Morgan is supplying ceramic/metal assemblies for the solar-electric propulsion system used in Bepicolombo, Europe's first spacecraft mission to Mercury, which is expected to launch in 2014.
The propulsion system, which is being manufactured by Qinetiq for the European Space Agency's mission, uses brazed ceramic/metal assemblies to isolate components in the thrusters from extreme high voltage.
An advanced propulsion system is said to be an essential part of meeting the technical challenge and Qinetiq has designed a solar-electric propulsion system comprising four T6 ion thrusters - each of which consisting of 17 brazed isolator assemblies.
The thrusters work at a voltage of up to 1.85kV and are said to be around 10 times more efficient than chemical thrusters, which have traditionally been used as propulsion systems on spacecraft.
The brazed components are used to electrically isolate the propellant systems and spacecraft from the high voltage that the thruster operates.
The isolators are brazed into the feed pipeline using Kovar expansion match fittings and they produce a gas-tight seal.
Brazed isolator assemblies are said to be less complicated than alternative methods, especially where parts need to be bolted together.
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