SBIR Phase II: A Solar Thermal CubeSat Propulsion System

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力解决了小型、低成本空间卫星具有机载推进能力的需求。微型卫星的出现为企业家和研究人员提供了空间，使他们能够改进电信技术、监测气候模式、观测星空，或者提出他们自己的新颖独特的想法。不幸的是，许多这样的小卫星没有办法在太空中机动，因此它们的能力是有限的。拥有一个安全、绿色、廉价的推进系统将使不断增长的小卫星市场能够执行许多以前无法实现的新任务。预计到2026年，小卫星市场规模将超过300亿美元。现在通过开发这项技术，用户可以克服太空探索中的一个主要障碍。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将开发一个能够利用水和阳光推进的小型卫星系统。该系统的功能是通过选择性地过滤阳光，通过限制辐射热排放将水加热到高温。高温蒸汽通过喷嘴排出，能够高效地控制卫星。该系统能够将卫星寿命延长到非推进选项的300%以上，避免碎片，并执行轨道机动。这项工作的主要目标将是建立一个原型来演示系统操作。其他目标将是测试单个系统，确定寿命，并调查由此为卫星用户节省的费用。该团队寻求一种可靠且具有成本效益的技术，以扩大人类的太空探索能力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Project addresses the need for small, low cost space satellites to have on-board propulsion capabilities. The advent of very small satellites is opening up space to entrepreneurs and researchers to improve telecommunications, monitor climate patterns, look out to the stars, or launch their own new and unique ideas. Unfortunately, many of these small satellites have no method of maneuvering in space, and so their capabilities are limited. Having a safe, green, and inexpensive propulsion system will allow the growing small satellite market to perform many new tasks that were previously unachievable. By 2026, it is expected that the small satellite market will reach over $30 billion. By developing this technology now, users can overcome a major obstacle in space exploration. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a small satellite system capable of using water and sunlight for propulsion. The system functions by selectively filtering sunlight to heat water to high temperatures by limiting radiative heat emissions. The high temperature steam is exhausted through a nozzle and is able to control the satellite with high efficiency. This system is capable of extending satellite lifetimes to over 300% of an unpropelled option, avoiding debris, and performing orbital maneuvers. The major goal of this effort will be to build a prototype to demonstrate system operations. Other goals will be to test individual systems, determine lifetime, and investigate the resulting savings to satellite users. The team seeks a technology that is reliable and cost effective for expanding humanity’s capabilities for space exploration.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.