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Completed TRL 5 (started at 4, targeting 5)
This project developed an alternate structure and alloy to serve as a green monopropellant catalyst. This innovation, a catalytic microtube thruster, is an original design alternative uniquely suited to the packaging and power issues of CubeSats, may have extended life and performance advantages over the current state of the art, and may enable design scaling to larger thrusters. This project sought to study a catalyst consisting of a unique metal alloy and structure that could be used to ignite and sustain combustion of an advanced green monopropellant. Resistively heated microtubes of alloyed catalytic metal were designed and manufactured. These tubes will be tested under altitude conditions to examine the combustion behaviors of the system. Catalytic activation and deactivation concerns were also to be investigated.
This innovation, a catalytic microtubethruster, is an original design alternative uniquely suited to the packaging and power issues of CubeSats, may have extrended life and performance advantgaes over the current state of the art, and may also enable design scaling to larger thrusters than the current state of the art.
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This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — 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.
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