A frequent approach to the design of coal-water slurry (cws)residential/industrial combustors is to adapt the conventional oil burner designs to the new service. two severe difficulties are encountered; one is combustion stability and completeness in these low flow rate/low volumedevices, and the… More

Interanode arcing is one of the most frequent and dangerous faults in a magnetohydrodynamic (mhd) channel. it reduces channel reliability and limits generator lifetime. the objective of this work is to eliminate interanode arcing. when an interanode voltage exceeds approximately 50 to 60 v,arcing is… More

In this project, the use of a plasmatron to ignite pulverized coal (pc) for utility boilers is being explored. air is passed through the arc of the plasmatron, creating a high temperature plasma (8,500 k) with highly reactive oxygen radicals that easily combine with and ignite pulverized coal. phase… More

A magnetohydrodynamic (mhd) combined-cycle powerplant promises to be one of the most efficient and least environmentally intrusive coal-fueled power generating systems. to achieve this potential, the mhd coal combustor must be cooled with high pressure (1,200 psi), high temperature (450 degrees… More

The combined-cycle magnetohydrodynamic (mhd) powerplant has the potential of being one of the most efficient, least environmentally intrusive coal-fueled power sources. at present, components are being manufactured for the proof-of-concept 1,000 hour mhd generator test. the projected lifetime of the… More

A Hall thruster (HT) using C60 fullerene as the propellant is currently being developed. The HT is a magnetized neutral plasma electrostatic thruster that has been successfully deployed by the Russians. Efficiencies of 50-70 % at Isp up to 3000 second were achieved, and lifetimes in thousands of… More

High energy (>1kJ/cc) varistors operating at cryogenic temperatures (

High intergrid space charge limits the thrust density of an ion engine to the extent that these thrusters are presently practical for limited number of missions. by replacing the current propellants of choice (xe, hg) with a carbon cluster prpellant, called fullerene, this disadvantage is largely… More

Busek Co. herein proposes a new fullerene synthesis process which was experimentally demonstrated and involves plasma breakdown of suitable hydrocarbons. The byproduct of the synthesis is hydrogen that can be sold or used on site for fuel cell based electricity production. Thus, two revenue bearing… More

A methane (CH4) electrothermal arcjet holds the potential of increased performance and longer lifetime than traditional ammonia or hydrazine arcjets. The potential drawback of CH4 arcjet is formation of soot that could cause spacecraft contamination and decreased performance. In the Phase I program… More

Low power electric thrusters appear to be well suited for on-board propulsion of LightSats. Several types are being considered and some already are under development such as the pulsed plasma thruster and the low power arcjet. Herein we propose the development of a nominally 200 Watt, Xe fueled… More

Low power electrostatic thrusters are greatly penalized by the lack of small efficient cathodes. Conventional hollow cathodes are relatively large and consume power and propellant at a rate approaching that required by the small thruster, thus greatly reducing the overall efficiency and Isp. An… More

Hall thrusters typically operate at 50% efficiency, 1600 sec specific impulse and have a proven track record on Russion satellites. Despite this impressive performance there are several areas in which Hall thruster improvements are possible. The propsed effort will focus on two such areas (1)… More

In Phase I of this Small Business Innovation Research program we propose to fabricate a GaAs based metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect ransistor (MOSFET) employing epitaxilly deposited Al2O3 as the insulating material.The Al2O3 will be grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy, synthesized from… More

Low power electrostatic thrusters are greatly penalized by the lack of small efficient cathodes. Conventional hollow cathodes are relatively large and consume power and propellant at a rate approaching that required by the small thruster, thus greatly reducing its overall efficiency and Isp. An… More

The Lockheed Martin 7000 series and other spacecraft use ultra pure hydrazine for both their chemical apogee motor and the orbit/attitude controlling arcjets. Busek proposes to extend this highly synergistic and beneficial "dual-mode" propulsion to other widely used fuels including propellant grade… More

Temperature Superconducting (HTS) coils will be used in motors, generators, magnets, transformers and inductors throughout space based and Terrestrial power systems. Unlike the conventional low temperature superconductors (LTS), the HTS conductors have, due to their materials of construction and… More

Low power electrostatic thrusters are greatly penalized by the lack of small efficient cathodes. Conventional hollow cathodes are relatively large and consume power and propellant at a rate approaching that required by the small thruster, thus greatly reducing the overall efficiency and Isp. An… More

Hall thrusters typically operate at 50% efficiency, 1600 sec specific impulse and have a proven track record on Russion satellites. Despite this impressive performance there are several areas in which Hall thruster improvements are possible. The propsed effort will focus on two such areas (1)… More

Most dimond like carbon (DLC) deposition processes require gaseous hydocarbon breakdown on high temperature tolerant substrates. A team of Argonne National Laboratory demonstrated that fullerenes can be used as DLC precursors and that an H2 or O2 rich environment is not required. Burek is… More

Electrostatic thrusters are the likely choice for station keeping of the new generation of small communication satellites. Xenon is the fuel of choice for these thrusters because of its high mass and low ionization potential. Existing worldwide xenon production will not permit fueling of more than a… More

The electric power capacity of military and commercial satellites, especially those intended for communication is rapidly increasing. Transponder power requirements and ever increasing number of channels drives commercial satellite designs to 20 kw levels with higher power designs to come. The… More

Not Available This SmallBusiness Innovation Research Proposal is concerned with research and development of an low cost, compact, light weight, energy-efficient long-life, low maintenance, low mechanical vibration, low electromagnetic induction closed cycle refrigeration capable of providing 100… More

Not Available Increased rigidity is required for increasing the maneuverability of next-generation missile systems. High stiffness aluminum alloys are optimum candidates for missile structures, including the missile airframe, seeker supports, and control surfaces. Specifically, aluminum metal… More

Microspacecraft, weighing 100 kg or less, with less than 100 W on-board are projected to become ubiquitous within the next decade. Fleets of such spacecraft are envisioned to fly in formation, requiring on-board propulsion that can initialize their orbit after a drop-off from shared launch vehicle,… More

The on-going miniaturization of satellites requires concurrent development of miniaturized cooling/heat rejection devices. Cooling by field emission of electrons offers an attractive approach that until recently could not be considered. To test it, wehave conducted preliminary experiments and… More

Ambitious near Earth and interplanetary missions require long life, high efficiency, high Isp primary propulsion. To address this need, Busek proposes to develop a Hall thruster with increased performance, reduce mass, reduced complexity and lower cost over state-of-the-art ion propulsion systems.… More

Hall thrusters in the 50 - 100 kW class are an enabling technology for affordable methods of on-board propulsion for a number of orbit transfer and space tug applications. Studies of advanced propulsion options for deployment of payloads from a drop-offaltitude to an operating orbit can be best… More

Micro thrusters are needed for: (1) fleets of satellites in closely spaced formation such as TechSat 21; (2) controlling the dynamics of large space structures; and (3) large interferometric spacecraft that require extremely precise positioning. Thrusterssuch as FEEPs, micro PPT and colloids meet… More

Ambitious near Earth and interplanetary missions require long life, high efficiency, high Isp primary propulsion. To address this need, Busek proposes to develop a Hall thruster with increased performance, reduce mass, reduced complexity and lower cost over state-of-the-art ion propulsion systems.… More

Micro thrusters are needed for: (1) fleets of satellites in closely spaced formation such as TechSat 21; (2) controlling the dynamics of large space structures; and (3) large interferometric spacecraft that require extremely precise positioning. Thrusterssuch as FEEPs, micro PPT and colloids meet… More

Water is one of the most important commodities in space. It is a life sustaining fluid, a propellant and an energy storage media in regenerative fuel cell (RFC) systems. Because of these attributes, water based power generation and propulsion conceptsare receiving increased attention. However,… More

"Fleets of small satellites flying in precise formation require on-board propulsion for orbit initialization, on-orbit maneuvers and to maintain relative positioning. The first scheduled on-orbit demonstration of formation flying is the AFRL/VS TechSat 21mission to demonstrate sparse aperture… More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project intends to fabricate, and test a condensation nucleus counter (CNC) of the turbulent-mixing type, with a detection limit below 2 nm particle diameter, and able to measure the size distribution of aerosol nanoparticles. A novelty of this… More

"The need for low mass, cost and complexity electric propulsion systems driven by the growing interest in microsatellites to perform high delta-V missions requiring north/south station keeping, orbit transfer, inclination changes and precise formationflying can be enabled by Busek's multi-mode low… More

"Busek's tandem Hall thruster can deliver precisely controllable, repetitive or single impulse bits of arbitrary magnitude, the latter dictated by the duration of the discharge pulse. To fully capitalize on the pulsed operation of a Hall thruster requiresa cathode capable of rapid starting to… More

"All aerospace vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft, are designed to function at an altitude below 30 km or above 150 km respectively. Above 30 km, an aircraft's propulsion system encounters combustion limits and below 150 km a spacecraft encountersatmospheric drag that leads to rapid reentry. A… More

70672 Dynamic pressure sensors are a critical supporting technology for achieving increased efficiency, reduced emissions, and lower operating costs in advanced gas turbines. In order to understand and control the combustion process, while maximizing efficiency and simultaneously reducing… More

"The Air Force Space Test Program (STP) seeks a space shuttle (SS) compatible, high performance, propulsion module (PM) to raise the orbit of a small, SS deployed, experimental payload (125 kg), to a 700+ km. Preliminary analysis identified a 200 W Hallthruster and a 100 W resistojet fueled by… More

Electrodynamic (ED) tethers offer the potential of propellant-less propulsion with infinite specific impulse (Isp). To achieve it, an efficient electron source that contacts the space plasma without using propellant must be coupled with the ED tether. At present, the electrons are supplied by a… More

All aerospace vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft, are designed to function at an altitude below 30 km or above 250 km respectively. Above 30 km, an aircraft's propulsion system encounters combustion limits and below 250 km a spacecraft encountersatmospheric drag that leads to rapid reentry. A… More

Conventional Hall thrusters are difficult to scale to very small sizes. The proposed concept is a new type of compact plasma accelerator that addresses these scaling issues. It resembles a Hall thruster, taking advantage of the heritage of this proventechnology, but the current is driven… More

Momentum Accommodation Coefficient (MAC) measurements are required to predict the lift and drag of satellites. Typically the MACs have been inferred from tedious and costly measurements of the velocity distribution of the incident and reflected moleculesin a molecular beam facility. The reflected… More

An integrated propulsion, power and ADCS module (PPAM) for the Small Payload Systems (SPS) bus is proposed. A standardized PPAM will have an integral structure that supports the payload and separation mechanism for the EELV ESPA, Taurus or the Minotaurlaunch vehicles. The ESPA design, can… More

The DoD is currently developing advanced deployable structures for applications such as large solar arrays, large radiators, deployable booms, and radar antenna structures. Reliable, low-mass deployment actuators are considered a significant technicalchallenge in each of these applications. … More

Currently there are no efficient electric propulsion engines performing in the milli-Newton thrust range, a capability needed for primary and ACS microsatellite propulsion. We propose to develop a slit colloid thrusters using ionic liquids as propellant,which will fill this propulsive niche. We… More

The proposed phase I program will identify and initiate the development of advanced versions of the state-of-the-art microPPT. There currently exist applications for the micro PPT that could benefit from larger impulse bits and/or larger total impulse,i.e. primary propulsion and/or ACS for… More

The Air Force has identified low power Hall thrusters as critical for mass and power limited satellites. Propulsion requirements include, maneuvering, precise formation flying, stationkeeping and extensive drag make-up. Busek's 200 W Hall thruster hasthe demonstrated performance characteristics of… More

Busek proposes to develop a high power, bismuth vapor Hall thruster for bimodal and high thrust missions. Published Soviet data lists experimental thrust efficiencies of 75-80%. Maximum thrust to power may be 70% greater than possible with xenon. Thrustto thruster mass is also higher and mission… More

To meet DoD requirements for high power Hall thruster technologies that significantly improve operating characteristics and reduce life cycle costs, Busek proposes to develop a very low-mass, 20-kW class Hall thruster suitable for a wide range of missionsin Earth orbit. The design benefits from a… More

Fleets of microspacecraft and large spacecraft with xenon based propulsion are becoming increasingly more common. Such spacecraft require high delta V primary propulsion and high performance attitude control pointing toward high specific impulse electricpropulsion. Of these, pulsed plasma… More

The Air Force Space Test Program (STP) seeks a space shuttle (SS) compatible, high performance, propulsion module (PM) to raise the orbit of a small, SS deployed, experimental payload (125 kg), to a 700+ km. Preliminary analysis identified the Busek 200 W Hall thruster fueled by nontoxic xenon… More

Momentum Accommodation Coefficient (MAC) data, derived from experimental measurements, are required to predict atmospheric drag on satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Currently MACs are estimated from measurements of the velocity distribution of the incident and reflected molecules in a molecular… More

Busek proposes to develop and demonstrate a milliNewton slit colloid thruster (SCT) system and at the conclusion of the program deliver the thruster prototype to the government. During Phase I, Busek confirmed the feasibility of the SCT and established the preferred slit geometry that is suitable… More

In SBIR Topic SB032-031, DARPA has identified its interest in power generation on a re-entry vehicle using the air encountered by the vehicle as the working fluid for the generator. In response, this Proposal, based on an extensive 1964-1968 USAF program to develop a high power Electronic… More

For this Phase I SBIR, we propose to design, fabricate, and test a colloid thruster integrated with an on/off microvalve. The design leverages Busek's accumulated expertise in colloid thruster development, gained through NASA's ST7 project, toward developing a general-purpose, flexible, and… More

Busek proposes to develop an advanced high total impulse (It), low wet mass (Mw) micro pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) system. The It/Mw ratio will be increased by an order of magnitude relative to the state-of-the-art (SOTA) which is the three axis micro PPT system called MPACS developed the… More

The proposed research for this project is to perform preliminary required research in order to pursue microfabricated colloid thruster arrays. The project is comprised of the following tasks: i. propellant selection studies to determine appropriate propellant for microfabricated configurations and… More

The objective for this Phase I program is to lay the foundation for the development of an autonomous electron source for use with electrically propelled nanosats. Electric propulsion offers high specific impulse, and in the case of electrodynamic tethers, "propellant-less" operation. The electron… More

Busek is developing bismuth vapor Hall thruster systems for bimodal and high thrust missions. In Phase I, Busek designed and analyzed a bismuth thruster system. An extensive series of experiments led to a pressure regulated liquid bismuth feed system design. Bismuth will be stored as a compact… More

To meet emerging requirements for high power Hall thruster technologies that significantly enhance the transportation of DoD space assets, Busek proposes to complete development of a low mass 20 kW class Hall thruster. The design benefits from a unique magnetic circuit. The predicted mass of the… More

Busek's 200 W Hall thruster has been flight qualified for the TechSat 21 program and more recently for the RoadRunner Program. During life testing conducted at AFRL the BHT-200 operation was approximately 900 hours less than the Phase II IHPRPT Goal of approximately 1000 hours. Concurrent with the… More

This Phase II STTR program is proposed to investigate a new kind of electric thruster, an inductively-driven Hall thruster. In contrast to conventional Hall thrusters, this device has the big advantage of needing no cathode. We expect it to be more efficient, because the inefficiencies from… More

For the Phase I effort, Busek developed a simple, integrated colloid thruster prototype capable of producing thrust of 100 ¿N at reasonable operating conditions. A unique geometry was chosen from several electrospraying sources tested. This thrust was conservatively estimated from measured beam… More

High power dual mode electric propulsion systems are an enabling technology for the orbit transport of DoD space assets. In the Phase I program Busek Co. will design, fabricate and test a high current center mounted cathode. The cathode will be designed to deliver electron current to a 20 kW… More

Busek proposes to develop radio frequency discharge, gridded micro-ion thruster that produces sub-mN thrust precisely adjustable over a wide dynamic thrust range. Such propulsion is needed to augment and overlap the present micro Newton propulsion such as colloid thruster. The RF was selected to… More

Micro-resistojets offer the best combination of simplicity, performance, wet system mass and power consumption for small satellites (

In the proposed Phase I program, Busek Co. will demonstrate an innovative methodology for clustering Hall thrusters into a high performance, very high power propulsion system. The concept uses multiple thruster discharge assemblies with a common (shared) magnetic structure. The concept combines… More

The specific opportunity to be addressed in this research is the exploitation of new scientific understanding about electrospray phenomena and novel micro-fabrication technology for use in new space missions that call for precise, flexible and efficient propulsion. Information gained during the… More

High power dual mode Hall effect thruster system is an enabling technology for the orbital transport of DoD and commercial space assets. A dual mode Hall thruster is a propulsion system that is capable of efficient operation in a high thrust to power mode as well as a high specific impulse mode. … More

Busek Co. Inc. and Stanford University propose to jointly develop and test a high power plasma propulsion concept called the Coaxial High EnerGy (CHENG) thruster. This high efficiency (> 85%) pulsed system will be capable of average thrust levels commensurate to chemical propulsion (10^4 N/m^2),… More

The ability to precisely control the position of satellites is a critical enabling technology for space missions involving interferometric arrays. One proposed mission, LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), would use an array of 3 satellites whose relative position is monitored and controlled… More

Micro-resistojets offer an excellent combination of simplicity, performance and wet system mass for small satellites (

In the proposed Phase II program, Busek Co. will demonstrate an innovative methodology for clustering Hall thrusters into a high performance, very high power propulsion system. To fulfill the full range of Hall thruster power requirements (100 kW ? 1 MW) envisioned by NASA for orbit insertion,… More

Busek proposes to continue development of an engineering model radio frequency discharge, gridded micro ion thruster that produces sub-mN to mN thrust precisely adjustable over a wide dynamic thrust range. Phase I testing proved the feasibility of the concept and estimated performance was… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop a low-cost, multi-mode propulsion module that can be added to an EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA), turning it into a self-propelled free flying spacecraft (S/C). This Orbit Maneuvering System (OMS) is enabled by the availability of Busek's high Isp electric… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to conduct critical studies and experiments to establish the feasibility of a novel High ALtitude Endurance aircraft (HALE) engine called MICE for Monopropellant Internal Combustion Engine. The reference fuel is the hydroxyammonium nitrate (HAN) based monopropellant AF-M315E… More

In hypersonic flight vehicles, the limited residence time of fuel in the engine necessitates extremely fast mixing and combustion. Conventionally atomized fuel droplets are typically too large and polydisperse (several to hundreds of microns in diameter) to mix and completely burn during the short… More

The future of monopropellant thrusters is moving towards high performance green propellants based on hydroxyammonium nitrate (HAN) and ammonium dinitramide (ADN). Ideally, a multi mode propulsion system will include a higher specific impulse thruster for maneuvers that require propellant… More

Busek Co. Inc. and Stanford University propose to develop diagnostics to characterize the plume properties and quantify contamination effects of Hall thrusters operating on condensable propellants. Phase I proof-of-concept analysis and experiments will demonstrate the ability of the proposed… More

Recently, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has shown that short pulses (~5 ns) can greatly simplify detection algorithms and enhance safety. Busek proposes to leverage its expertise in ion thrusters to produce a pulsed H ion injector with approximately 100:1 temporal compression of the… More

We propose to develop and test key technologies needed for an integrated, high thrust colloid thruster system with no moving parts, for spacecraft attitude control and tip-off rotation cancellation. Busek has already successfully demonstrated the use of porous substrates as planar emitters for… More

Busek proposes the development of kerosene/JP10 fueled small rocket motor suitable for tactical and in-space applications. The motor design and the choice of oxidizer will be driven by the requirements for broad and rapid motor throttleability, arbitrary number of absolutely reliable restarts… More

Rapid fuel droplet evaporation and near-homogeneous mixing with air can be obtained with small monodisperse droplets, bringing benefits to the performance of combustion chambers, and reduced pollutant emissions. Additionally, the greater homogeneity of the mixture produced by fine atomization… More

Busek Co. Inc. is developing a Multi-Mode Orbit Maneuvering System (MMOMS) that can be added to ESPA ring, transforming it into a free-flying spacecraft that can deliver payloads to multiple orbits. In Phase I, we proved the feasibility of the concept and defined the architecture. The MMOMS has… More

Busek and MSI propose to develop an ESPA-based satellite bus with standard mechanical, electrical, and logical interfaces. This bus will service up to five dependent payloads attached to the ESPA ring. Power, electrical, logical, and communication needs will be provided by an Avionics Module (AM)… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop/design an integrated propulsion, power, ACS, and separation module for secondary ESPA payloads. The standardized secondary payload orbit maneuvering system (OMS) will have; 1) 200 W or 600 W Hall effect thruster system for primary propulsion, 2) Xe cold gas… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop a self-powered, self-contained propulsive de-orbit system that will (a) fit within a 12 in. x 12 in. x 1 in. volume, (b) weigh less than 5kg, (c) requires no propellant tanks or valves (or any other moving parts), (d) apply torque to the spacecraft in a detumbling… More

Busek proposes to develop and deliver a complete engineering model colloid thruster system, capable of thrust levels and lifetimes required for spacecraft operational tasks such as tip-off de-tumbling and attitude control. The self contained thruster system shall be capable of delivering ~75ýýN… More

Busek Co. Inc. and Stanford University propose to develop and test an advanced high power plasma propulsion concept referred to here as a Coaxial High EnerGy Thruster, or CHENG thruster. The thruster is first and foremost a propulsive device. However, because the device is pulsed, compact, and… More

Busek proposes, with the MIT Space Propulsion Lab, to develop and characterize a variable-Isp colloid thruster operating only in the ionic mode and achieving its variable-Isp through use of a deceleration grid. This approach overcomes the usual inefficiencies encountered in variable-Isp colloid… More

Busek proposes to develop light metal Hall Effect thrusters that will help reduce the travel time, mass, and cost of SMD spacecraft. Busek has identified three attractive light metal propellants: magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and a eutectic (Mg/Zn). These metals are plentiful and practical… More

Busek proposes to develop a radio-frequency discharge, gridded micro ion engine that produces ýýN level of thrust precisely adjustable over a wide dynamic thrust range. Rf discharge was chosen to eliminate the life-limiting internal cathode of a dc discharge ion engine. Thrust actuation on the… More

Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) offers the prospect for a variety of new science missions by enabling use of Hall Effect propulsion in the outer solar system, particularly at distances beyond the limits of practical solar photovoltaic power. Radioisotope Power System (RPS) technology under… More

Busek Co. Inc. and the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) of Pennsylvania State University propose to develop a metal hydride based propulsion system for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft. In Phase I, we will select the most promising propellant combination and design a system around it. … More

The future of monopropellant thrusters is moving towards energetic high performance green propellants based on hydroxyammonium nitrate (HAN) and ammonium dinitramide (ADN). One of the impediments in switching from hydrazine to one of these higher performance propellants is the lifetime issue of the… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop a piezo-actuated, precision microvalve for metering extremely low flow rates typical of chemical micropropulsion. Existing microvalves offer no flow regulation and consume several watts due to their electromagnetic coil actuation while the piezo actuator consumes… More

An integrated warm gas pressurization of the main and ACS propulsion system offers simpler, more efficient propellant management than existing designs. The most operationally versatile system is based on a unique pump that forces liquid through a gasifier thus creating both the pressurant gas and… More

ABSTRACT: Busek''s BHT-200 (200W) Hall thruster was flight qualified for the TacSat-2 program and successfully operated in space during 2007. During duration testing conducted at AFRL the BHT-200 was operated for approximately 1800 hours (equivalent to approximately 50% increase ion It/Mw) less… More

Busek Co. Inc (Busek) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) propose to develop the design of a photon actuated, ultrafast carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission cathodes for high-power electron beam accelerator sources. The cathode will be based on massive arrays of Vertically Aligned Carbon… More

In space propulsion applications, an increasingly unmet need is compact, low-power, precision flow regulating valves. Propulsion for increasingly small spacecraft is limited by the availability of such valves. Although much work on miniaturizing valves has been performed using microfabrication… More

NASA is seeking electric propulsion systems capable of producing up to 20mN thrust, input power up to 1000W and specific impulse ranging from 1600-3500 seconds. The target mass is 1kg for the thruster and 2kg for the power processor unit (PPU). The proposed system will be based on a variant of our… More

New Frontiers and Discovery class science missions cover a broad range of scientific objectives and mission destinations. To address NASA's need for advanced propulsion systems that can effectively operate in both near Earth as well as to outer planets and other celestial bodies, NASA-GRC has been… More

We propose to develop Mg rockets for Martian ascent vehicle applications. The propellant can be acquired in-situ from MgO in the Martian regolith (5.1% Mg by mass) and combusted with H20 that exists at the poles and below the surface. The vacuum Isp of a Mg-H20 rocket would be ~300 s. Mg can also… More

Busek proposes to develop an integrated propulsion, power, ACS, (ProPACS) system for micro-spacecraft deployed from the ESPA ring secondary payload ports. The standardized ProPACS system integrates the essential elements needed for highly capable micro-spacecraft bus including; 1) 600 W Hall effect… More

CubeSats are becoming more appealing for military applications due to continuing miniaturization of electronics, providing opportunities for distributed space assets and increased security through redundancy. In order for CubeSats to firmly establish relevance, however, they must be able to perform… More

The NASA Science Mission Directorate has plans to launch high-performance advanced space telescopes for astrophysics missions that require precision formation flying for synthetic aperture telescopes. These formations dictate the capability for precise alignment, synchronized maneuvers and… More

The Hall thruster propulsion system consists of the thruster, cathode, propellant management system and the power processing electronics. The power processing unit (PPU) represents largest fraction of the system dry mass. In addition, the delivery time and cost of radiation hard electronics and… More

Busek proposes to develop a flight prototype micro resistojet (MRJ) propulsion system for CubeSat satellites. Ammonia has been chosen as the propellant because it is self-pressurizing, relatively high density, and is well suited as a cold gas propellant for propulsive attitude and control system. … More

Numerous gases may be ionized and accelerated in Hall Effect Thrusters. Among all the candidates, condensable bismuth has significant advantages including easy storability, higher thrust to power and higher efficiency. However, bismuth accumulation could adversely impact solar arrays, sensors, and… More

Busek Co. Inc. and the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) of Pennsylvania State University propose to develop a metal hydride based power system for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft. This system will produce mechanical or electrical energy that can be used to drive a propeller. In Phase… More

There is great interest, particularly in military applications, for small internal combustion engines capable of operating on heavy fuels such as diesel or JP-8. This has been impeded, however, by the limitations of compression ignition in small engines and the challenges in achieving droplets… More

The future of monopropellant thrusters is moving towards high performance green propellants based on hydroxyammonium nitrate (HAN) and ammonium dinitramide (ADN). Ideally, a multimode propulsion system will include a higher specific impulse thruster for maneuvers that require propellant conservation… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop a compact fully integrated primary and ACS propulsion system for CubeSats. The propulsion system will fit into 1/2U and will deliver 100m/s deltaV to a 3U CubeSat. It is based on the on-orbit proven microPPT architecture, which is an electromagnetic thruster that… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to initiate the development of a high priority, large orbital debris de-orbiting system. The proposed Orbital Debris Remover (ORDER) will be built on the Evolved Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) ring platform shared with other similar low cost spacecraft in development at… More

The Spallation Neutron Source at ORNL requires a high current, high brightness source of negative hydrogen ions. In particular, there is a desire to increase both the current during a pulse and the duty cycle without increasing source emittance. Busek Co. Inc. and Worcester Polytechnic Institute… More

In the proposed Phase II program, we will continue the development of Mg bipropellant rockets for Martian PAV applications. In Phase I, we proved the feasibility of this game-changing technology. Through chemical analysis, we determined that Mg can be combusted with CO2 condensed in-situ from the… More

In NASA is seeking an electric propulsion system capable of producing 20mN thrust with input power up to 1000W and specific impulse ranging from 1600-3500 seconds. The key technical challenge of the topic is the target mass of 1kg for the thruster and 2kg for the power processor (PPU). In Phase 1… More

Busek leveraged previous, internally sponsored, high power, Hall thruster discharge converter development which allowed it to design, build, and test new printed circuit board converter within this Phase 1 effort. The new converter consists of two series or parallel boards (slices) intended to… More

In the Phase I effort, Busek developed a miniature precision piezo-actuated microvalve weighing 32g and occupying 4.5 cm^3. The valve demonstrated continuous flow regulation of 0-12 sccm nitrogen (15psi supply pressure) thru 0-500 sccm nitrogen (1000psi supply pressure), with a leak rate of better… More

Busek proposes to prove the feasibility of a Mg Hall effect thruster system that would open the door for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) based solar system exploration. Elemental magnesium has favorable thermophysical properties and is very easy to ionize. The estimated specific impulse for a… More

Sample and return missions desire and missions like Saturn Observer require a low power Hall thruster that can operate at high thrust to power as well as high specific impulse in order to close mission time, mass and delta velocity requirements. This type of thruster is commonly referred to as a… More

Colloid thrusters have long been known for their exceptional thrust efficiency and ability to operate over a range of specific impulse due to easily variable charge-to-mass ratio of emitted particles. They have also been considered limited to only very low thrust levels, able to produce few… More

A higher current negative ion source is desired for the Spallation Neutron Source. Such a source would also be useful for any accelerator facility with an ion storage ring. Busek is using a different type of plasma source which has the objective of creating a larger population of excited hydrogen… More

Busek and MIT propose to explore techniques for enhanced control of nickel catalyst pad size and distribution (pitch) for growth of massive arrays of isolated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) at spacing as small as 10nm. The two catalyst application approaches shall be electron beam lithography… More

ABSTRACT: Busek proposes, with the MIT Space Propulsion Lab, to leverage successful Phase I proof-of-concept results to develop and deliver a 1mN, micro-fabricated electrospray thruster that features variable Isp and bi-polar operation. The thruster achieves variable Isp at no power penalty by… More

ABSTRACT: Gigahertz microwave amplifiers are limited when using thermionic type electron sources, due to the high beam currents and frequencies required. For this reason, field emission cathodes using carbon nanotubes are being investigated as a potential electron source replacement. Such devices… More

The Hall thruster propulsion system consists of the thruster/cathode, propellant system and the power electronics. The power processing unit (PPU) represents the largest fraction of the system dry mass. In addition, the delivery time, cost of radiation hard electronics and issues regarding… More

ABSTRACT: An integrated warm gas pressurization of the main and ACS propulsion system offers simpler, more efficient propellant management than existing designs. The most operationally versatile system is based on a unique pump that forces liquid through a gasifier thus creating both the… More

ABSTRACT: Busek proposes to develop a flight-prototype piezo microvalve useful for micro chemical thrusters that require precisely metered flow rates. Deriving from a flight-qualified Busek microvalve and a successful proof-of-concept Phase I laboratory prototype, this proposed valve will be… More

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to continue the development of a high priority, large orbital debris removing system. The debris remover spacecraft is called ORDER (Orbital Debris Remover). The vehicle design is derived from a general-duty space transport vehicle developed by Busek referred to as the… More

ABSTRACT: Busek Co. Inc. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) propose to explore the physical limits of ionic liquid propulsion via development of new theory to explain effects of close packing density and to predict performance limits. The research is motivated by observations and… More

ABSTRACT: Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop an advanced propulsion module with autonomous orbit control for ORS satellites. It will be fueled by low-toxicity liquid propellants and will provide as much as 329m/s delta-V to a 250kg spacecraft. Due to the stability and ease of handling of the… More

ABSTRACT: A high power iodine propellant Hall Effect thruster system will be developed for orbit raising and other in-space applications. This system will include a thruster, hollow cathode, and propellant feed system. The Phase I thruster will have a power level of 1-3 kW. The Phase II thruster… More

ABSTRACT: Busek proposes to developed a self-contained electrospray thruster that (a) requires no pressurized propellant tanks or valves, utilizes analog-only electronics, and stores propellant as a stable solid; (b) is capable of operation after extended storage and inoperative periods of up to 15… More

A need exists within the Nett Warrior program to wirelessly charge soldier mounted electronic devices. Currently soldiers either carry extra batteries or dismount their electronics and deal with the logistics of a variety of cords to charge their electronic devices. Current wireless inductive… More

Busek proposes to complete development and deliver a 500cm^3, 500g, micro pulsed plasma thruster system consisting of primary and ACS propulsion capability with 300N-s minimum total impulse and 4W minimum power requirement. Feasibility of such a system was demonstrated in the Phase I, where novel… More