Abstract: Microthrust measurement technology plays a key role in microthruster design, and it is the basic technology of orbit maintenance and attitude control for microsatellites. The average thrust measurement of multipulse microthrust is very important for the study of the characteristics of pulsed microthrusters. The commonly used microthrust measurement methods are summarized and a method of multipulse microthrust measurement is proposed. Based on the secondorder system model and using Fourier expansion, the dynamic response of thrust measurement system under the action of multipulse microthrust is analyzed . The theoretical analysis and simulation results indicate that if the frequency of thrust pulse is far larger than the natural frequency of thrust measurement system, the steady state deflection angle is proportional to the average thrust. The average thrust can be obtained by measuring the steady state deflection angle, and then the total impulse can be obtained from the measured average thrust. This method can efficiently avoid the effect of thrust fluctuations on average thrust measurement.

Key words: thrust, measurement, average thrust, microthruster, multipulse, total impulse