STTR Phase I: Advanced Reaction Control System (RCS) for CubeSat and Microsatellite Platforms

这一小型企业技术转让第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是向立方体卫星和微型卫星运载器开放新的轨道飞行制度。这些尺寸类别的车辆目前受到缺乏合适的推进选择或大多数推进系统对拼车征收额外监管负担的限制。大多数低地球轨道(LEO)的小卫星将受益于推进系统，而LEO以外的所有飞行任务都需要机载推进。拟议的反应控制系统结构将使小卫星的新的超低轨飞行任务成为可能，并以较低的成本提高低轨飞行任务的在轨寿命和效用。这个小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目将卫星推进性能与小型卫星电力系统(EPS)不断增长的能力联系在一起，采用了新颖的微型化阻力喷射器设计和绿色环保推进剂。虽然其他技术(电池、太阳能电池板、配电系统)已经改善了卫星的EPS，但推进系统却落后了。在RCS设计中使用微型电阻喷射器，可以将推进系统的性能与推进剂的化学性质(由于化学限制在很大程度上是固定的)分开，而是将性能与改进的EPS系统联系起来。此外，拟议的RCS使用了一种新颖的非气体增压系统和一种良性的绿色推进剂，以提高搭乘卫星的安全性。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 is to open new orbital flight regimes to CubeSat and microsatellite vehicles. Vehicles of these size classes are currently constrained by the lack of suitable propulsion options or additional regulatory burdens that most propulsion systems levy on rideshare vehicles. Most small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) would benefit from propulsion systems and all missions beyond LEO require on-board propulsion. The proposed Reaction Control System (RCS) architecture would enable new beyond-LEO missions for small satellites and enhance the on-orbit lifetime and utility of LEO missions at lower costs. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project ties satellite propulsion performance to the ever-increasing capabilities of small satellite Electrical and Power Systems (EPS) with a novel, miniaturized resistojet design and benign green propellant. While other technologies (batteries, solar panels, power distribution systems) have improved satellite EPS, propulsion systems have lagged. The use of a miniature resistojet in the RCS design allows the performance of the propulsion system to be decoupled from the chemical properties of propellant (largely fixed due to chemistry limitations), and instead links performance to improved EPS systems. Additionally, the proposed RCS uses a novel non-gaseous pressurization system and a benign green propellant for improved safety on ridesharing satellites.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.