STTR Phase I: Advanced Reaction Control System (RCS) for CubeSat and Microsatellite Platforms

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to open new orbital flight regimes to CubeSat and microsatellite vehicles. Vehicles of these size classes are currently constrained by the lack of suitable propulsion options or additional regulatory burdens that most propulsion systems levy on rideshare vehicles. Most small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) would benefit from propulsion systems and all missions beyond LEO require on-board propulsion. The proposed Reaction Control System (RCS) architecture would enable new beyond-LEO missions for small satellites and enhance the on-orbit lifetime and utility of LEO missions at lower costs. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project ties satellite propulsion performance to the ever-increasing capabilities of small satellite Electrical and Power Systems (EPS) with a novel, miniaturized resistojet design and benign green propellant. While other technologies (batteries, solar panels, power distribution systems) have improved satellite EPS, propulsion systems have lagged. The use of a miniature resistojet in the RCS design allows the performance of the propulsion system to be decoupled from the chemical properties of propellant (largely fixed due to chemistry limitations), and instead links performance to improved EPS systems. Additionally, the proposed RCS uses a novel non-gaseous pressurization system and a benign green propellant for improved safety on ridesharing satellites. 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.