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Integrated Thruster Technology for Lightweight, High Performance, Compact LDACS

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
 Program Year/Program:
2011 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
B103-013-0322 		Solicitation Year:
2010 		Solicitation Topic Code:
MDA10-013 		Solicitation Number:
2010.3
Small Business Information
Ultramet
12173 Montague Street Pacoima, CA -
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Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2011
Title: Integrated Thruster Technology for Lightweight, High Performance, Compact LDACS
Agency: DOD
Contract: HQ0147-11-C-7621
Award Amount: $100,000.00
 

Abstract:

Ultramet recently demonstrated rapid, reliable, and repeated ignition of hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN)-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate (HEHN) monopropellant mixtures. HAN-HEHN green monopropellants offer many improvements over monopropellant hydrazine and NTO/MMH bipropellant, including increased specific impulse and density specific impulse, as well as greater safety in terms of toxicity and insensitivity, which will significantly decrease overall propulsion volume, mass, and cost. Before this milestone was achieved, the feasibility of using advanced ionic liquid monopropellants was distant. The goal of the proposed project is to integrate the ignition system and thruster into a single component that will eliminate the need for an injector, thereby reducing the system part count, cost, mass, and length vs. L*. Based on existing technologies, in Phase I Ultramet will design and build an engine appropriate for a kinetic kill vehicle divert and attitude control system. In Phase II, this engine would undergo hot-fire testing using AF-315e monopropellant at Aerojet or AMPAC-ISP, both of which have expressed interest in the technology. Because the thermal bed is non-discriminate to the propellant, a different formulation or propellant type may be substituted. For example, the technology could be used with hydrazine or another monopropellant to increase performance and minimize thruster length.

Principal Investigator:

Matthew J. Wright
Research Scientist
(818) 899-0236
matt.wright@ultramet.com

Business Contact:

Craig N. Ward
Engineering Administrative Manager
(818) 899-0236
craig.ward@ultramet.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

Ultramet
12173 Montague Street Pacoima, CA -

EIN/Tax ID: 952662293
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No