Tiny Thrusters Demonstrate a Capability Needed to Detect Gravitational Waves
Technology Infused On December 3, 2015, the LISA Pathfinder mission blasted into space carrying the most stable spacecraft thruster system ever qualified for use in space. Developed by NASA JPL, the Space Technology 7 (ST-7) Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) is designed to control the spacecraft’s position to within a millionth of a millimeter. ST-7 DRS consists of clusters of colloid micronewton thrusters and control software residing on a dedicated computer. To operate, the thrusters apply an electric charge to small droplets of liquid and accelerate them through an electric field. This new thruster technology has never successfully been used in space before. ST-7 DRS will deliver extremely small pulses of energy (5 to 30 micronewtons of thrust) to precisely control the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft. This cluster of four colloid thrusters is part of the Disturbance Reduction System, developed by NASA/JPL, which will help keep the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft extremely stable. (Image credit: ESA/NASA/JPLCaltech) Impact Precise spacecraft...