Additively Manufactured Monolithic LOx/Methane Vortex RCS Thruster

Parabilis Space Technologies proposes to advance development of an additively manufactured liquid oxygen (LOx) and liquid methane Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster in response to solicitation H2.01, In-Space Chemical Propulsion. This RCS-class thruster will provide a simple, robust, and low-cost solution for vehicle attitude control on upcoming NASA projects. The thruster is additively manufactured in a single monolithic structure with minimal secondary processing. During Phase I, a prototype thruster was successfully designed, fabricated, and test fired multiple times. Phase II efforts include furthering the development of the thruster toward flight ready design, including expanding on additive manufacturing implementation and performing additional hotfire testing to evaluate a flight-like design and expand the operational envelope.

The proposed thruster innovations are applicable to a number of proposed future NASA missions such as Mars exploration as well as NASA next generation launch vehicle upper stages. Future launch vehicles utilizing LOx/methane as their main propulsion system can utilize the proposed innovation as complementary reaction control system thrusters. The technology could also be a key enabler for all deep space manned missions where the need to service and repair or replace components in transit could be critical to mission success. Additionally, the technology can be scaled for use as a kick stage or orbital insertion engine.

LOx/methane is an attractive propellant combination for commercial launch vehicles. Potential customers for a LOx/methane RCS engine include United Launch Alliance (ULA), SpaceX, Blue Origin, XCOR, Armadillo Aerospace, Northrup Grumman, Aerojet and Firefly, among others. Each of these organizations has propulsion systems that utilize the LOx/methane propellant combination in development. Beyond LOx/methane, the technology developed in this proposal could also be developed into products that could exploit the entire range of bi-propellant combinations, opening the range of applications to include most launch vehicles currently in development.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — 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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