SBIR/STTR Research Award
Advanced MMH-Based Gel Fuel
Award amount
$120,000Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IAward year
2004Award details
- Awarding agency
- Department of Defense
- Branch
- Army
- Recipient company
- Orbital Technologies Corporation
- Proposal award date
- 2003-12-12
- Contract end date
- 2004-06-11
- UEI
- XESXD6N437K9
- Solicitation number
- 2003.2
- Topic code
- A03-153
Research abstract
ORBITEC and SRI propose to develop an advanced gel propellant fuel based on monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) that provides higher volumetric specific impulse, incorporates a combustible particulate gellant, and has desirable stability and aging characteristics. To improve volumetric Isp, a performance-enhancing compound can be added in conjunction with existing polymeric gelling agents, or new high-energy gellants can be used. Various solid-fuel additives will be considered to provide additional performance benefits by increasing density specific impulse. Atomization can be improved by adding surfactants to modify the MMH surface tension. The resulting MMH-based gel fuel is expected to meet the demands of at least 25 lbf-s/in3 increase in volumetric specific impulse, minimum exhaust signature, high stability, and long life required for advanced propellant gels.
Technology keywords
Not reported
Other awards by this recipient
Verified by the same UEI. These are other public SBIR/STTR award pages, not a merged company record.
- High Performance Nanolauncher
- Plastic Melt Waste Compactor Flight Demonstrator Payload (PFDP)
- Miniature Nontoxic Nitrous Oxide-Propane (MINNOP) Propulsion
- Zero G Mass Measurement Device (ZGMMD)
- Ultra High Repetition Rate Multi-Parameter Imaging Diagnostics for Reacting Flows
Awards with the same topic code
Verified by an exact topic code match. This is not a text-similarity match.
Research funding history
216 SBIR/STTR records share this UEI (1989–2014). Reported award amounts total $56,646,148. Reported amounts are not federal obligations.
Phases: Phase I, Phase II
Agencies: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy