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 CATALYSTRELATED 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 HOTFIRING 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.