Abstract:
This paper discusses the technical requirements, the scheme, the manufacturing process, and the vibration tests for 10 Newton (10 N) thruster bracket made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) for satellites. The bracket is of a closed-cavity configuration, with complicated mechanical environment. The allowable errors of dimension are very limited. By means of the stitching-resin transfer molding (RTM) technique, the accuracy of the bracket can be ensured. With a water soluble core, the demolding can be done satisfactorily. Compared with the original casting magnesium bracket, the weight of the CFRP bracket is reduced by 35%, the processing time is reduced by 80%, and the cost is reduced by 20%. The bracket has passed the vibration test for the qualification level. The ultrasonic nondestructive test shows that the bracket has no damage after the vibration test, which indicates that the bracket meets the environmental demands of satellites in the launching stage.