WHILE CUBESATS HAVE BEGUN TO DISRUPT THE ENTIRE SATELLITE INDUSTRY, A LACK OF ADEQUATE PROPULSION OPTIONS C…

Public award description

WHILE CUBESATS HAVE BEGUN TO DISRUPT THE ENTIRE SATELLITE INDUSTRY, A LACK OF ADEQUATE PROPULSION OPTIONS CONTINUES TO LIMIT THEIR ADOPTION BEYOND EXPERIMENTAL MISSIONS. RIDESHARE RESTRICTIONS LIMIT CUBESATS TO THE NON-OPTIMAL ORBITS INTO WHICH THE PRIMARY MISSION DELIVERS THEM, AND OFTEN LEAVES THEM UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR ORBITS AGAINST DRAG FROM EARTH S UPPER ATMOSPHERE. THIS RESTRICTS CUBESAT UTILITY FOR COMMERCIAL, PERSISTENT EARTH SCIENCE, OR INTERPLANETARY MISSIONS. EXOTERRA S MODULAR XENON MICRO ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM IS A HIGH-IMPULSE PROPULSION SYSTEM THAT ENABLES CUBESATS TO ALTER OR MAINTAIN THEIR ORBITS AND TO PERFORM AFFORDABLE, TARGETED SCIENCE MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM. THE INTEGRATED SYSTEM PROVIDES 4-33 MN OF THRUST AND 48-73 KNS OF IMPULSE AT AN ISP FROM 700-1500 S USING A MICRO-HALL EFFECT THRUSTER, AND CAN PACKAGE IN 6 OR 9 U OF VOLUME TO MEET THE TIGHT CONSTRAINTS OF CUBESATS. THE PROPULSION SYSTEM CONSISTS OF THE XENON PROPELLANT AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, A HIGH EFFICIENCY PPU THAT IS RADIATION TOLERANT TO 100KRAD, THE HALO THRUSTER AND TVC. THE SYSTEM ACHIEVES>.15 MN/USC,>5 KNS/UP AND<1.3 KG/UP.