The Role of Different Parameters in the Pressurant Budget of Venus Express and its Dynamic Evolution during the Mission
Publication date: 16 October 2004
Authors: Valencia Bel, F., et al.
Year: 2004
Copyright: ESA
In proceedings of the 4th International Spacecraft Propulsion Conference (ESA SP-555), 2-9 June, 2004, Chia Laguna (Cagliari), Sardinia, Italy. Editor: A.Wilson. Published on CDROM., p.115.1
An insufficient amount of pressurant gas in the propulsion system or a working temperature in the pressurant tank outside the qualification limits can cause a decrease in the performance of the thrusters or even the loss of the mission. This paper presents an engineering tool used able to compute the Pressurant budget of a mission and the effects of influencing parameters. The updated tool allows to also compute the temperature, pressure and mass evolution inside the pressurant tank during the various mission phases. The tool has been used to verify the calculations done by Astrium Stevenage for Mars Express and Venus Express. The pressurant gas used for both cases was helium. The tool permits to use other combinations of pressurant gases and propellants for different propellant systems (monopropellant and bipropellant systems).
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