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Active TRL 4 (started at 4, targeting 6)
The Thermomagnetic SmallSat Propellant Positioning effort will demonstrate two novel propellant management devices that use a controlled heat flux to position a saturated liquid mixture. The first employs capillary meshes to hold the gas phase in place once it is located near the outlet, while the second uses diamagnetic properties of the propellant to achieve the same goal through magnetic buoyancy. While the primary application is the advancement of fluid management systems for SmallSat propulsion, the research has many crossover applications such as larger satellite propulsion systems, cryogenic fluid management, and in-situ resource utilization systems.
Problem Statement
Propulsion systems for SmallSat missions have limited volume available and the consequent adoption of conformal tank geometries severely complicates the management of fluids and gases within these systems. Traditional propellant management devices (PMDs) are unable to accommodate the bubbly flows that characterize common cold gas systems, particularly when contained in irregularly shaped conformal tanks. A new generation of PMDs is needed to ensure liquid-free propellant expulsion and support novel SmallSat architectures requiring accurate and predictable impulses.
Technology Maturation
Four flight tests on aircraft following a reduced gravity profile will aim to assess the ability of the proposed propellant management technology to position gas within the propellant tank and operate the propulsion system under a variety of operational conditions. Instrumentation will be used to vary key input parameters and assess key performance metrics in microgravity.
Summary of Flight Test
2024-10-28: The Thermomagnetic Propellant Positioning experiment explores the repositioning of saturated two-phase propellants for accurate impulse delivery in cold-gas SmallSat architectures. The first parabolic flight demonstrated that a concentrated heat source located within a two-phase CubeSat propellant tank can effectively and efficiently reposition the ullage gas bubble within the container, enabling a new propellant management architecture with 30% total impulse increases with respect to the state of the art. Upcoming flights will apply lessons learned to refine the design of the propellant management devices and advance the readiness level of the technology in preparation for in-orbit demonstrations.
This propellant positioning technology could simplify propellant tank operations for existing cold gas solutions which has both near- and long-term impacts since bubble management in fluid transfer is common across many systems and disciplines. This simplification could increase the available propellant volume and also reliability of the propellant management system.
Future Customers
- Cold-gas-propelled small spacecraft, particularly in missions requiring precise impulse delivery and high delta-v
- Larger satellites and higher performance propulsion systems
- Medical devices that also benefit from miniaturized fluid management systems in orbit
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