Description: ORBITEC proposes to develop the Miniature Nontoxic Nitrous Oxide-Propane (MINNOP) propulsion system, a small bipropellant propulsion system which we offer as an alternative to miniature hydrazine monopropellant thrusters for CubeSat-class spacecraft. As compared to state-of-the-art hydrazine systems, MINNOP propulsion will provide significant increases in specific impulse (in bipropellant mode) and comparable levels of minimum impulse bit (in cold gas mode), and it will do so with a nontoxic, environmentally benign, self-pressurizing set of propellants. In Phase I, we will focus on demonstrating the operation of the bipropellant thrust chamber, and ignition of that chamber within appropriate weight constraints. Our preliminary propulsion system design is intended to occupy 1U of a 3U-size CubeSat.

Benefits: The MINNOP propulsion system will be an attractive replacement for both hydrazine monopropellant systems and, at larger scales, MMH-NTO bipropellant systems, providing a nontoxic propellant alternative which will simplify development work and ground operations. As compared to hydrazine monopropellant, we anticipate that small MINNOP thrusters will deliver significant gains in specific impulse; we will work to quantify this advantage in Phase I. Potential applications for these systems range widely from CubeSat applications in LEO to larger systems for orbital insertion and planetary maneuvering.

The MINNOP propulsion system will be directly applicable to DoD and commercial spacecraft also; all will benefit from the safety and performance advantages provided by shifting away from hydrazine.