Propellant Gelation for Green In-Space Propulsion

Concerns in recent years about the toxicity and safe handling of the storable class of propellants have led to efforts in greener monopropellants and bi-propellants. CFDRC has worked with researchers in designing and synthesizing propellants called ionic liquids. These are generally not as high-performing as traditional storables and still have toxicity issues. Other work by CFDRC and Army researchers (among others) has demonstrated that gelling of liquid propellants, even toxic hypergols, can enhance their insensitive munitions (IM) properties to a significant degree. Besides the IM benefits, gelling of the fuel allows the suspension of ultrafine particles that both densify the propellant and add to the combustion energy, and thereby the specific impulse. CFDRC proposes to combine these research elements into a comprehensive assessment in Phase I to determine the degree to which the gelation of innovative propellant combinations can enhance the system benefits, including performance, safety, and launch costs. Then in Phase II, the desired propellants will be obtained or synthesized, and then gelled. A liquid apogee motor-class thruster will be fabricated and the gelled propellants will be hot-fired in the thruster for evaluation. The end Phase II will focus on identification of opportunities to transition and integrate this technology into NASA, DoD and commercial product lines, with special emphasis on NASA secondary payload propulsion applications.

The applications derived from creating safer versions of high-performing liquid bipropellants are numerous and will find many NASA applications especially in the secondary payload propulsion marketplace. Among these uses are: gelled liquid apogee engines, reaction control thrusters, and gelled liquid upper-stage engines. Specific NASA applications include attitude control engines for spacecraft and satellites, apogee engines on spacecraft, orbit transfer, maneuvering and station keeping. This technology will find direct applications and insertion opportunities into several existing NASA related engines and platforms including: Modular Common Spacecraft Bus (MCSB), R-4D family of thrusters including HiPAT Apogee Kick Motor, Draco and Super-Draco engines.

The applications derived from creating safer versions of high-performing liquid bipropellants are numerous and will arise from both civilian and military uses. The proposed technology will find many applications in attitude control and apogee engines for commercial and government satellites. Other military and commercial applications include maneuvering and divert and attitude control system engines for hypersonic and other kill vehicles. The primary commercial customers for the end-product are the space launch community and federal agencies such as Air Force, Army and MDA as well as their aerospace propulsion contractors.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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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