Non-Toxic Monopropellant Propulsion

Status: Completed

Start Date: 2017-09-29

End Date: 2019-09-28

Description: Most In-Space chemical propulsion systems use hydrazine as the propellant. Hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable. Two non-toxic monopropellants (AF-M315E and LMP-103S) have been developed with higher energy density than hydrazine. These non-toxic monopropellants have significantly higher combustion temperatures than hydrazine. On a NASA SBIR, suitable combustion chambers were developed for both monopropellants and successfully tested for 1N and 22N thrust with the non-toxic monopropellant AF-M315E.1N size, non-toxic, monopropellant thrusters have now flown on commercial satellites with LMP-103S in commercial partner ECAPS’ propulsion system (TRL9) and other thrusters will fly on the Green Propellant Infusion Mission with AF-M315E in commercial partner Aerojet Rocketdyne’s propulsion system (TRL8) in 2017. 22N size thrusters were tested in the SBIR Phase I (TRL5), and initial manufacturing has started on the 5N size (TRL4).The CCRPP project is needed to increase the technology maturity (increase the MRL on 1N and the TRL/MRL on 5N and 22N) and reduce recurring fabrication costs. Manufacturing improvements are proposed to reduce manufacturing flow time by 50%. The proposed cost reductions and maturization are needed for the SBIR technology to be widely commercialized.

Lead Organization: Plasma Processes, LLC