SBIR Phase II: Rotating Detonation Combustion Satellite Thruster Using Novel, Non-toxic Propellants

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is the development of a novel high-efficiency and non-toxic in-space propulsion system to improve payload capacity by up to 50%, extend mission lifespans by years, and double the speed to reach the target orbit for satellites and space vehicles. The end goal is the creation of a production-ready propulsion system, building upon previous work experimentally demonstrating the unique efficiency gain of the core technology: rotating detonation combustion. After an intended first flight of a minimal viable product on-orbit in 2027, the production development will focus on minimizing the system mass, further optimizing the thruster performance, and preparing a pipeline for first units for sale. This program is designed to accelerate the technology development from first flight to delivery to satellite manufacturing customers, unlocking a faster, more dynamic, and more capable fleet for both commercial and defense applications. The scope of the project is to rapidly advance the rapid technology readiness level (TRL) and commercial viability of a novel in-space propulsion system employing unique non-toxic propellants via rotating detonation combustion. Rotating detonation combustion (RDC) utilizes a new, lower entropy-generation thermodynamic cycle to extract more energy from chemical reactants, contributing to higher combustion efficiency and specific impulse for rocket engines. In Phase I, the combustion efficiency was demonstrated to surpass conventional technologies in a vacuum environment, confirming both the underlying principles of RDC and the core designs enabling the use of the non-toxic propellants: nitrous oxide and ethane. Building upon this TRL 5 demonstration, a full system demonstration of a minimum viable product (MVP) will be conducted with an on-orbit flight in 2027 (TRL 7). The purpose of the Phase II project is to advance the MVP design to the Production Development Unit (PDU). The goals of the project include (1) improving the propellant usage and overall mass of the system; (2) further improving the performance of the device; and (3) creating a production plan and strategy for scaling. To achieve these goals, a focus will be placed on high-volume hardware fabrication and rapid-iteration full assembly testing in a vacuum environment. The two end results for this campaign are (1) demonstrating core capabilities for customer application, including mass fraction, duty cycle, and engine run boxes, and (2) hand-off of the PDU design to full-scale production, achieving TRL 8. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.