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Hybrid Orbital Propulsion System (HOPS)

Completed TRL 4 (started at 2, targeting 4)

Description

Exquadrum proposes to develop and demonstrate a highly-controllable, microsatellite scale Hybrid Orbital Propulsion System (HOPS) utilizing nitrous oxide oxidizer and an Exquadrum proprietary solid fuel formulation. The proposed system is high-thrust, readily scales between CubeSat sizes from 3U to 27U, and is capable of achieving impulse densities up to 1,300 Ns/U. The hybrid thruster powering the system is electrically ignited and capable of numerous restarts, with the number of thrust pulses limited only by the propellant supply. During the proposed Phase I project, Exquadrum will create a preliminary design of the propulsion system and conduct a hot-fire demonstration of a heavyweight thruster prototype.

Benefits

Propulsion for deployment of CubeSat constellations, CubeSat operational orbit insertion, maintenance, collision avoidance, de-orbit, propulsion for Explorer class missions

Department of Defense nanosatellite constellation deployment, commercial Earth imaging and remote sensing constellation deployment and orbit maintenance

Details

Technology areaPropulsion Systems > Chemical Space Propulsion > Hybrids
ProgramSmall Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer (SBIR/STTR)
Lead organizationExquadrum, Inc., Adelanto, CA
Start date2018-07-27
End date2019-02-15

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

How to get involved

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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.