Ultra-high-temperature ceramic matrix composites (UHTCMCs) are promising materials for thruster design due to their durability and exceptional high-temperature properties. This study assesses their viability by exploring the loads on the thruster, the results of 3D finite element analysis (FEA), and the impact of prolonged operation. Using ANSYS 2023 R2 and expert forums, a detailed model was created to capture the necessary data. The optimal thickness configuration resulted in a mass of 0.31 kg. The analysis predicts a maximum nozzle temperature of 1643K and a stress level of 302 MPa at the flange after 10 seconds of operation. Peak nozzle stress occurs at 2.16 seconds, reaching 133 MPa. The results suggest the thruster is well-suited for short-burst attitude control manoeuvres. However, extended operations such as orbit control, reentry, and sudden manoeuvres increase the risk of sudden flange fractures, making these applications less viable in the long run.

The economic and holistic incentives of asteroid exploration have sparked an increased interest within the space industry. Missions like Hera and M-ARGO have taken steps towards said exploration, each with its own concept, but both using CubeSats due to the versatility they add. Thus, an interesting question arises on whether adopting a distributed, deep space system approach will reduce the costs and increase the versatility of the mission. To answer this query, the DASH mission takes Hera’s goals as its own to propose an innovative distributed framework that can match current asteroid exploration missions at significantly lower cost. As a result, this report deals with the design of the system and subsystem elements of the DASH mission, short for Distributed Asteroid Surveying Herd. Consequently, it is fitting to first analyse the current state of the market and then proceed with the mission-dependent elements.