IGF::OT::IGF BUSEK PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A HIGH PERFORMANCE, NON-TOXIC STORABLE, "GREEN" MONOPROPELLANT THRUS…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF BUSEK PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A HIGH PERFORMANCE, NON-TOXIC STORABLE, "GREEN" MONOPROPELLANT THRUSTER SUITABLE FOR IN-SPACE REACTION CONTROL PROPULSION. THE ENGINE WILL DELIVER 100N (~25LBF) VACUUM THRUST WITH SPECIFIC IMPULSE EXCEEDING 240SEC. ESTIMATED ISP-DENSITY IS ON THE ORDER OF 348 SEC-G/CC, A 48% INCREASE FROM THE STATE-OF-THE-ART HYDRAZINE SYSTEMS. THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE THAT SETS THIS THRUSTER APART FROM OTHER SIMILAR DEVICES WILL BE THE USE OF AN INNOVATIVE, LONG-LIFE CATALYST. THIS PROPRIETARY CATALYST, CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT ANY BED PLATE OR CERAMIC SUBSTRATE, WAS RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED IN BUSEK'S 0.5N MICRO THRUSTER. IT HAS SHOWN THE ABILITY TO SUPPRESS CATALYST-RELATED PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION PROBLEMS THAT OFTEN PLAGUE GREEN MONOPROPELLANT THRUSTERS. THE PROPOSED PHASE I PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A 5N GREEN MONOPROPELLANT THRUSTER BY SCALING UP THE LONG-LIFE CATALYST DESIGN FROM THE 0.5N THRUSTER. BOTH EMPIRICAL AND MODELING WORKS ARE PROPOSED TO VALIDATE THE SCALING THEORY. THRUSTER PERFORMANCE WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON HOT-FIRING TEST RESULTS THAT INCLUDE C* AND VACUUM THRUST MEASUREMENTS. THE PHASE I FINDINGS WILL LEAD TO THE DESIGN OF A FULL-SCALE, 100N GREEN MONOPROPELLANT THRUSTER TO BE DEVELOPED IN PHASE II.