High-Performance Chemical Propulsion Technology for Nanosatellites

Compositex proposes to develop and demonstrate of a simple, low cost, high-performance chemical propulsion system for very small spacecraft sizes of 1 to 10 kilograms (nanosatellites). This system combines the ISP performance of a bipropellant system withthe simplicity and ease of operation of a monopropellant system. When compared to today's operational vehicle propulsion systems, it offers improvements in safety, reliability, performance, and cost effectiveness. Both the fuel and oxidizer are storable,non-toxic, non-hypergolic, low-freezing point liquids. The high-density propellants can be contained within a single, lightweight filament-wound composite tank, enabling propellant mass fractions of over 90%. The propulsion system retains high ISP andhigh propellant mass fraction performance characteristics across a very wide range of sizes. This system can effectively provides both main propulsion and attitude control system (ACS) functions. The proposed effort includes a prototype system design,fabrication and static testing of two rocket engines, 20 Newton and 2 Newton thrust levels.