Lightweight Pump Technology for Advanced Green Monopropellants

Systima will develop an innovative light weight self-pressurizing pump (SPP) technology to provide a constant-pressure supply of monopropellant to a spacecraft or tactical propulsion system. The SPP does not require a helium tank and higher operating pressure have a negligible impact on the system mass. Since the SPP has a lower weight than comparable propellant pressurization systems, it provides an opportunity for reducing launch costs, increasing spacecraft or tactical system payload capacity and significantly enhancing delta velocity/?V. This technology can be used with hydrazine, HAN-based, or ADN-based propellants as there are no known limitations on the monopropellant that can be used in the system. The self-pressurizing lightweight pump for advanced monopropellants offers significant advantages in applications where a large?V is required, such as large spacecraft or in applications where high-pressure is needed, such as liquid ACS or DACS thrusters. The Phase I and Phase II SBIR will focus on development of the system for operation with the HAN-based monopropellant AF-M315E.