Nanosat Maneuvering and Orbital Transfer Stage

The proposed innovation is a modular, high-performance orbital transfer stage (OTS) vehicle for Nanosats and Microsats launched as secondary payloads and require maneuvering to their desired orbits. The OTS has a modular design, and can accommodate payloads ranging from 5kg 3U size Nanosats to >50kg Microsat size vehicles. The propulsion system uses hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) fuel with nitrous oxide (N2O).  These “green propellants” that are sufficiently safe for ridesharing, will provide density impulse over 10-15% higher than a hydrazine system, and are capable of near-impulsive ΔV maneuvers to support launch vehicle collision avoidance operations, final operational orbit insertion, or tactical inclination/plane change maneuvers. The proposed system leverages additive manufacturing as the primary fabrication process incorporating modular tank and thruster configurations with integral Reaction Control Subsystem.  Basic Propulsion “modules” can be combined to enable various size vehicles and missions.  The basic concept for the OTS “core” configuration is also amenable to integrating the hybrid propulsion directly into a Nanosat bus. The proposed solution will allow lower cost access to space than existing commercial monopropellant system liquid stages, uses a fraction of the power of electric propulsion systems, and will be much safer than systems that use toxic and/or explosive propellants.  The OTS will have complete capability (power, guidance and navigation, etc.) to position the Payload spacecraft into their desired orbits.