STTR Phase I: Development of an Additively-Manufactured, Non-Toxic, Advanced Storable Hybrid Rocket Propulsion System

这一小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力旨在使大小立方体卫星运营商都能负担得起轨道机动。拟议的技术旨在为市场提供一种负担得起的、“绿色”的、可靠的、易于集成的模块化推进系统。最低限度的集成要求将使CubeSat运营商能够首先专注于任务目标和有效载荷，而不是推进系统集成。今天，集成推进系统需要大量的空间来满足热、电和体积要求，而且危险的推进剂限制了可用的发射服务。这两个因素都导致了成本的增加和进度的延长。该项目的目标是使CubeSats具有先进的机动、星际轨道、快速生命终结处理和准确的航向修正能力。可接近的推进也可能减少轨道拥堵，因为更少的机动卫星可以与许多静态定位卫星的能力相媲美。CubeSats已经实现了包括低延迟通信中继、国防目的和从基础物理实验到地球观测的科学研究在内的能力的快速部署。这项拟议的技术旨在增强CubeSat的能力，为下一代伟大的科学家、工程师和企业家打开新的行业和发现。这项小企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目寻求开发技术，并为商业可用的化学混合动力系统生产适合航天飞行的原型设计。传统的混合动力系统由于制造复杂、一次性使用和/或有毒点火系统以及燃料退化率低而显示出显著的缺点。这项技术试图通过使用3D打印热塑性塑料作为基础燃料来解决这些问题，这种基础燃料具有允许重复、快速和低功率点火的电学特性。一些潜在的推进剂组合具有很高的理论性能，但与点火方法不兼容，燃料退化率低，或者难以制造。在测试推进剂组合与点火系统的兼容性后，将对系统性能进行模拟。性能数据将用于评估和设计原型推进模块。燃料将暴露在模拟的空间环境中，并将进行实验室重量秤测试以验证模拟结果。拟议的研究计划将确定生产具有竞争力和可靠性的综合立方体卫星推进系统的最佳选择，并构建一个测试活动，以提供原型系统将按设计执行的信心。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to make orbital maneuvers affordable for large and small CubeSat operators. The proposed technology seeks to supply the market with an affordable, “green”, reliable, and easy to integrate modular propulsion system. Minimal integration requirements will allow CubeSat operators to focus on mission objectives and payload first, instead of the propulsion system integration. Today, integrating a propulsion system requires significant accommodations for thermal, electrical, and volume requirements and hazardous propellants limit available launch service. Both of these factors contribute to increasing cost and lenthening schedules. The goal of this project is to make advanced maneuvers, interplanetary trajectories, rapid end of life disposal, and accurate course corrections accessible capabilities for CubeSats. Accessible propulsion may also reduce orbital congestion as fewer maneuverable satellites can equal the capability of many statically-positioned satellites. CubeSats have already enabled rapid deployment of capabilities including low latency communication relays, defense purposes, and scientific research ranging from fundamental physics experiments to Earth observation. The proposed technology seeks to enhance CubeSat capabilities, opening new industries and discoveries for the next great generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to develop the technology and produce a prototype spaceflight-ready design for a commercially-available, chemical-hybrid propulsion system. Conventional hybrid systems have shown significant downsides due to complex manufacturing, single use and/or toxic ignition systems, and low fuel regression rates. This technology seeks to solve these issues by utilizing a 3-D printed thermoplastic as the base fuel, which has electrical properties that allow for repeatable, rapid, and low power ignition. Some potential propellant combinations have a high theoretical performance, but are incompatible with the ignition method, have a low fuel regression rate, or are difficult to manufacture. After testing propellant combinations for compatibility with the ignition system, the system performance will be simulated. The performance data will be used to evaluate and design a prototype propulsion module. The fuel will be exposed to a simulated space environment and a lab weight scale test will be performed to verify the simulation results. The proposed research plan will identify the best option to produce a competitive and reliable integrated CubeSat propulsion system, with a test campaign constructed to provide confidence that a prototype system will perform as designed.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.