ACE Booster

GTL has been developing three transformational technologies that have the capability to disrupt the traditional launch vehicle paradigm. BHL composite cryotank technology provides a four times improvement over large Al-Li tanks, offering a 6 percentage point improvement in stage PMF. Superior Stability Engine is an innovative liquid rocket engine configured to maximize combustion stability margin while also maximizing engine performance. NORPS is a non-helium gas generator system that can be used to pressurize the propellant tanks for 1/3 the mass and 1/10 the volume of a comparable helium based system. The Advanced Cryogenic Expendable (ACE) Booster design uses these technologies to achieve high performance and low cost in a small vehicle. When implemented in an optimized design, the ACE technologies offer revolutionary performance. In the proposed Phase I effort, GTL will perform a conceptual design study to assess the impact of design constraints on the implementation of the ACE technologies. From this, an optimized design will be developed. A technology roadmap will be created to show how the capabilities can be achieved in the near term.

The ACE Booster offers the potential for substantial performance gains and cost savings that will aid NASA's access to space. When developed and implemented in a launch system, the ACE Booster would reduce the cost of launching small payloads to orbit. The technologies used in the ACE Booster could also be applied to larger vehicles, decreasing the overall cost to access space.

After flight validation, the ACE Booster could be used in a commercial small launch vehicle. The ACE Booster could also be reconfigured to serve as a military weapons platform and/or a hypersonic test bed. The technologies used in the ACE Booster could also be applied to larger vehicles, decreasing the overall cost to access space.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.