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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 5)
AMPT proposes to collaborate with additive manufacturing (AM) experts and propulsion scientists from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to establish a certifiable process for the design, testing, and analysis of novel additively manufactured injectors and other combustion devices for in-space engines. For this project specific focus will be applied to an injector for a storable, bi-propellant monomethyl hydrazine-mixed oxides of nitrogen (MMH/MON-25) thruster in the 5- to 500-lbf range that will be built and tested at AMPT. Expertise will be sought from MSFC science and engineering teams to support AMPT’s active efforts to develop industry-leading propulsion components with an innovative, cost- and schedule-reducing approach. Through this project AMPT will make significant progress toward certification of the AM technology for in-space propulsion applications. Additionally, a low cost in-space thruster concept will be demonstrated that has the potential to address multiple NASA technology roadmap needs while assisting AMPT knowledge growth and the initial development of a marketable product.
The benefits of additive manufacturing (AM), when combined with AMPT’s development methodology and testing capability, are expected to result in an order-of-magnitude reduction in thruster development cost and schedule. The direct benefits to be won from a successful family of additively manufactured thrusters will be improved performance and combustion stability margin, and reduced costs and lead times in both development and production. This will ultimately result in lowered cost of propulsion systems for NASA while improving schedule, mission performance and system robustness. This technology is particularly applicable to in-space reaction control systems (RCS) and human lander applications.
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