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THE USC ADVANCED SPACECRAFT PROPULSION AND ENERGY LABORATORY

Founded in August 2018, the Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion and Energy
(ASPEN) Laboratory at USC started as the nation’s only student-led research group
focused on modeling nuclear-based spacecraft propulsion systems. Initially comprised of eight undergraduate students, the team has grown to include various undergraduates from across engineering disciplines. We are a multi-disciplinary and driven team with a shared passion for advanced propulsion concepts. In the fall of 2022 ASPEN expanded and, under the advisement of Dr. Lubos Brieda, began working on the Asteria Thruster on top of our previous research in nuclear propulsion (the Hyperion-I Campaign). This project focuses on producing a solid-fuel adamantane thruster to be fitted on a satellite design. 

The Asteria Thruster is ASPEN's newest project, starting in 2022. The goal of this project is to produce a solid-fuel adamantane plasma thruster to be implemented on a satellite design. The overview of this project can be divided into four main stages of modeling and hardware testing . A small plasma thruster will be constructed and placed in a vacuum chamber to produce a plasma bloom. We hope to run a numerical study to increase the efficiency of the thruster, research the effectiveness of adamantane as a fuel source, and eventually produce a full-scale working propulsion device.

Initial Testing & Stage 1 Thruster Design

Fall 2022 & Spring 2023

Direct Thrust Measurements & Final Thruster Design

Spring/Fall 2023

Multi-Thruster Design & Thrust Validation

Spring/Fall 2024

Satellite Design & Implementation

Spring/Fall 2025

Recent News

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We were recently accepted to speak at the International Electric Propulsion Conference in Toulouse, France. You can view our submitted paper on the IEPC website and read our recent feature on the USC Viterbi Website!

TEAM

Get to Know Us

ASPEN Team Members 2023
FALL 2024 LEADS

Lab Lead

OLIVIA KUKAR

Lab Lead

MAX WU

Operations Lead

AUTUMN ZARETSKY

Hardware Lead

KAYDEN CUTCHINS

Diagnostics Lead

CAMERON COEN

Simulations Lead

EMILY LO

Electronics Lead

JONATHAN FISHER

Outreach Lead

MIA CLAIRE CHANG

FACULTY ADVISORS
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