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Completed TRL 1 (started at 1, targeting 3)
This document describes the collaboration proposal between Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research at the University of Texas at El Paso, herein after referred to as UTEP cSETR, and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, herein after referred to as MFSC. The document is a response to the Collaboration Agreement Notice (CAN) No. 80MSFC18N001 issued on September 25, 2017. This proposal focuses on the Marshall Technical Requirements (Page 9, CAN announcement) for both innovative/advanced propulsion systems as well as advanced manufacturing (structures as materials). Under section 2.1.1 of said announcement, the focus is placed mainly on both points under “Propulsion systems technologies for small spacecraft/satellites,” “Low-cost, small reaction control systems (RCS),” and “Innovative designs enabled by advanced manufacturing.”
The overarching goal of the proposed CAN is to integrate the two complimentary efforts of UTEP cSETR and MSFC ER23 for developing 1-5N Class AF-M315E Thrusters into a collaborative and accelerated technology development path. The complementary records of accomplishment, expertise, and capabilities in additive manufacturing and green propellant thruster development of both teams will significantly advance high-performance green propulsion system technology for small spacecraft/satellite platforms. The specific objectives of this effort are to:
It is the goal of both parties to strengthen this relationship, and co-develop the 1-5 N Class AF-M315E thruster technology that will serve both UTEP cSETR and NASA’s interests to enable new and advance micro-propulsion systems to support the growing demand for deep space SmallSats and CubeSat with high capability propulsion solutions.
HAN (Hydroxyl Ammonium Nitrate) based non-toxic or green propellants such as AF- M315E have higher performance, 10% increase in specific impulse and 60% increase in density impulse, and lower ground-handing and safety overhead cost in compared to hydrazine. SmallSat propulsion systems (Figure 1) based on AF-M315E have potential to offer higher performance to reduce system volume and mass while maintaining the operational benefits of the state of the art hydrazine thrusters, namely reliable ignition and fast response time.
Many unique technical issues such as ignition, catalytic bed design, and thermal management are involved in the development of AF-M315E based thrusters. Through funding support from the Missile Defense Agency, UTEP cSETR has been developing technologies for 1N and 20N Class AF- M315E and LMP-103S thrusters. Some of these thruster technologies were demonstrated at TRL 4 and use a high- performance catalytic bed (Figure 2) developed by the UTEP cSETR team. However, extensive thruster performance optimization and verification tests on multiple valve- thruster and catalyst bed assembliesusing the engine hardware (conventional and additively manufactured) is still required to demonstrate engine-to-engine repeatability, impulse bit, thrust level at beginning of life (BOL) and at end of life (EOL) as a function of thruster inlet pressure. A similar effort is also ongoing at the In Space Propulsion Systems (ER23) Brach of MSFC to develop 1N class high-performance AF-M315E thruster technologies using additive manufacturing techniques. MSFC’s efforts are focused on developing thruster valves, lattice catalyst structures, and additively manufactured thruster body.
UTEP green propellant thrusters are at TRL 4, and the catalyst bed performance and hardware are shown in Figures 2 & 3 respectively. Design optimization and performance is ongoing. MSFC also has a TRL 4 valve from the previous effort that can be utilized for this project. This program will optimize the manufacturing process and thermal management of the thruster; demonstrate the performance characteristics and duty cycle sensitivity. Individual thruster tests will show engine- to-engine repeatability, cold start thrust transients and steady-state thrust and specific impulse over the operating pressure range.
A unique technical challenge with AF-M315E is the thruster thermal management due to a very high flame temperature of (nearly twice than that of Hydrazine). Two recent development efforts, i.e., Aerojet Rocketdyne's 20N Class AF- M315E Thrusteri (GR-22) for NASA Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) and Plasma Processes' 444 N (100lbf) Non- Toxic Monopropellant Thruster have highlighted the critical need for developing high thermal load management technologies for green propellant thrusters. Although high-temperature materials such as Rhenium and Niobium have been proposed as solutions for thermal management, the significant manufacturing challenged as well high cost associated with these materials may limit their use in small spacecraft/satellites platform. MSFC is advancing additive manufacturing (AM) of refractory and superalloy metals, and have even build printed green prop thrusters and other propulsion system’s elements
Thus, the proposed technology development approach is to achieve the following goals:
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