USA flag logo/image

An Official Website of the United States Government

Technologies for Momentum-Exchange/Electrodynamic-Reboost Tether Facilities

Award Information

Agency:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
62146 		Program Year/Program:
2003 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
023920 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Tethers Unlimited, Inc.
11711 N. Creek Pkwy S., Suite D113 Bothell, WA 98011
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2003
Title: Technologies for Momentum-Exchange/Electrodynamic-Reboost Tether Facilities
Agency: NASA
Contract: NAS8-03013
Award Amount: $69,934.00
 

Abstract:

A modular Momentum-Exchange/Electrodynamic-Reboost (MXER) tether system can provide a fully-reusable in-space propulsion system that can provide propellantless propulsion for orbital transfer, Earth-to-Orbit launch assist, and reboost of LEO spacecraft such as the ISS. By eliminating the need to launch large quantities of transfer propellant into orbit for each payload, a MXER tether system can greatly reduce the size and cost of the launch vehicle needed for each payload, and thus it can help achieve the several-orders-of-magnitude launch cost decreases needed to enable widespread commercialization of space. MXER tether systems will require several innovations, including survivable tether structures with both high-strength and conducting materials, methods for controlling electrodynamic spin-up and reboost while maintaining dynamic stability, and an architecture that can enable capabilities to be increased and qualified in a modular, incremental manner. In the proposed effort, TUI will develop designs to address all three of these needs, and develop a concept design for a low-cost flight experiment, the ?Microsatellite Tethered Orbit Raising QUalification Experiment? (?TORQUE), which will enable flight validation of these MXER Tether technologies.

Principal Investigator:

Robert Hoyt
Principal Investigator
4257440400
hoyt@tethers.com

Business Contact:

Robert P. Hoyt
Business Official
4257440400
hoyt@tethers.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

Tethers Unlimited
19011 36th Ave W. Suite F Lynnwood, WA 98036

EIN/Tax ID: 911834561
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No