Description:

This NASA-Utah State University cooperative agreement matured and tested a 3D printed High-Performance Green Hybrid Propulsion (HPGHP) system optimized for SmallSat Lunar landing and Sample and Return missions. This hybrid propulsion solution uses a commonly used injection molding plastic, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), as the propellant, which has been shown to have unique electrical characteristics that are essential to the improvement of HPGPH technology. ABS can also be 3D printed to any desired shape and used as elements of the thruster which is desirable when there are varying sized diameters. The propellant type and 3D printing capability allow for high performance, low cost, low toxicity, and versatility. Development started at Utah State University’s Propulsion Research Library nearly a decade ago, followed by a a 10 N prototype flight experiment aboard a sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops in March 2018, and then was further matured and characterized under this project. Advancing SmallSat propulsion is essential for long term presence beyond Earth orbit, particularly in Lunar environments as that is the first stepping stone to reaching deep space.

Benefits: The application of the propulsion system for SmallSats beyond Earth orbit is a key interest of this technology by virtue of its combination of a common, safe, cheap, and 100% recyclable propellant (ABS) and the ability to 3D-print various shaped-components of the thruster on fast turnaround, allowing for a versatile, safe, and cost-effective propulsion solution. Overall, this technology could have widespread applicability across the commercial space industry beyond SmallSats given its scalability and versatility, from nano-rocket launchers to planetary return surface launch systems. Given the thruster’s performance parameters and ignition reliability, low toxicity of the propellant, and ability to 3D-print to the desired shape, it could also enable new low-cost spacecraft mission profiles in both the Earth domain and in deep space.