ESPA Based Secondary Payload Orbit Maneuvering System, Phase I

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop/design an integrated propulsion, power, ACS, and separation module for secondary ESPA payloads. The standardized secondary payload orbit maneuvering system (OMS) will have; 1) 200 W or 600 W Hall effect thruster system for primary propulsion, 2) Xe cold gas thrusters for propulsive ACS, 3) solar array, batteries and power conditioning with steady state power of ¡Ö230/680W and 4) an integral structure that supports the payload and a LightBand separation mechanism for the ESPA ring. The proposed system architecture is based upon an EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA). Because the ESPA OMS has power, avionics, and propulsion, it is a free flying spacecraft capable of delivering payloads to disparate altitudes and inclinations. In Phase I, Busek will design an OMS to meet NASA mission needs including deploying large numbers of micro satellites and CubeSats. Preliminary analysis suggests the each secondary OMS can provide 780 m/sec delta velocity to a 125 kg payload. A key Phase I activity will be a prototypical orbital deployers adapter for clusters of CubeSat. With this adapter, the system could deliver large numbers of CubeSats to discrete, pre-defined orbits. Phase II products will include a clustering adapter ready to fly in 2010, along with the OMS propulsion system.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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