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Catalyst-Free, Highly-Throttleable, Electric Propulsion Thruster
- Small Business Information
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Woman-Owned: NoMinority-Owned: NoHUBZone-Owned: No
- Phase 2
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Fiscal Year: 2010Title: Catalyst-Free, Highly-Throttleable, Electric Propulsion ThrusterAgency: DODContract: FA9300-10-C-2101Award Amount: $745,513.00
Abstract:
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 to complement a higher thrust chemical thruster, with both thrusters utilizing the same propellant. We propose to develop an electric thruster that operates on almost any monopropellant, while maintaining high performance over a wide range of operation. The key to success is the elimination of the catalyst bed, shown to be a hindrance for both high performance (HAN, ADN) chemical thrusters and electric propulsion. Elimination of the cat bed should also increase the throttling capabilities of the electric propulsion engine. This catalyst-free thruster will also overcome thermal and life issues of the catalyst bed and allow for utilization of almost any propellant imagined. In Phase I we successfully demonstrated the operation of our electrically catalyzed thruster operating on a surrogate monopropellant. Key technical challenges for Phase II include the liquid propellant injector and feed system. We have organized a well thought-out plan to attack and solve these issues early in the development, culminating in a complete green propellant electrothermal thruster system. BENEFIT: The US Military has a current requirement for multimode propulsion. Successful development of an electric propulsion thruster operating on a chemical monopropellant satisfies the need for higher specific impulse thruster to complete the multimode propulsion concept. In addition, any spacecraft that requires high delta-v could benefit from such a thruster. Non space propulsion applications include chemical processing and gas generators for aircraft APUs.Small Business Information at Submission:Busek Co. Inc.
11 Tech Circle Natick, MA -EIN/Tax ID: 042881247DUNS: N/ANumber of Employees:Woman-Owned: NoMinority-Owned: NoHUBZone-Owned: No
Award Information
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Agency: Department of Defense |
Branch: N/A |
Award ID: 86936 |
Program Year/Program: 2010 / SBIR |
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Agency Tracking Number: F081-065-0906 |
Solicitation Year: 2008 |
Solicitation Topic Code: AF081-065 |
Solicitation Number: 2008.1 |