SBIR-STTR Award

Flight Works is proposing to leverage its ongoing development of a high delta-V (> 3 km/s) pump-fed “green” monopropellant transfer stage to obtain an even higher performance, high thrust, pump-fed hypergolic bipropellant stage designed specifically for small spacecraft deep space missions. The costs targeted for such stage would enable dedicated interplanetary missions with CubeSats and Nanosats at a price measured in millions as opposed to high tens of millions. The proposed concept benefits from the extensive micro-pump technology developed at Flight Works for hypergolic, storable bipropellant propulsion systems, combined with space system-level know-how of its principals. With the technology, a pump-fed monopropellant system outperforms a high-performance pressure-fed biprop system; this performance is further enhanced here with a pump-fed biprop system. The result is a growth in payload capability of over 40%. The other benefit is a low-pressure set of tanks, reducing efforts associated with range safety compliance. The biprop stage also leverages the commonality with the avionics suite of the monopropellant stage. This approach allows reducing the development scope, costs and risks while providing a high-performance, high-thrust transfer stage optimized for deep space missions. The high thrust allows for rapid, efficient transfers, compared with electric propulsion systems which require many months to reach the targeted orbit. Also, the system can either stay attached to the small primary payload for long term mission operations or deploy it onto its destined trajectory, thus enhancing mission flexibility. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): With a stage designed to provide over 3 km/s delta-V to a nanosat payload for deep space missions, it can be used for NASA lunar and interplanetary applications. These include missions similar to the NASA Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE), or follow-ons to NASA’s Mars CubeSat missions MarCO-A and -B. It can also be used for NASA LEO and GEO nanosat missions, whether launched as dedicated or as secondary payloads. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): Non-NASA applications include commercial and DoD missions requiring high orbital maneuver capabilities. These include missions on small dedicated launch vehicles where additional delta-V is required, as well as space-tug applications on Falcon-9 rideshare launches. The stage can also be used for other applications such as orbital inspectors. Duration: 6

Flight Works is proposing to continue the development and demonstration of a low cost, compact, high performance transfer stage which enables dedicated missions to cislunar and deep space (such as Mars rendezvous) with small launchers like Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne and ABL’s RS-1. More than a stage, the system features a full set of avionics creating a bus with extensive propulsion capabilities. The avionics is based on flight-proven large CubeSat avionics from partner Astro Digital. The high performance is enabled by Flight Works’ micropump-fed propulsion technology matured over the last few years for small spacecraft combined with the high density-specific impulse (Isp) provided by the green monopropellant ASCENT. The green propellant can be stored cold to minimize heating power and a low-power pumped loop can be used to slightly warm the propellant prior to use. The result is a simple, versatile, cost-effective stage with full bus functionality and with performance capabilities similar to that of a traditional bipropellant pressure-fed stage and which can be configured for cislunar and even Mars missions. Other benefits include scalability; use of green propellants and low-pressure tanks minimizing range safety operations and costs; high thrust for rapid, efficient transfer (compared with electric propulsion systems which have to be launched at higher orbits to avoid low altitude drag and which can require months to reach the targeted orbit while exposing the system to the damaging radiation of the Van Allen belts); minimized size provided by a high performance propulsion system; and attitude control system for long term operations. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): A stage providing over 4.3 km/s delta-V to a nanosat payload can be an enabler for many NASA lunar and interplanetary missions. These include missions similar to the NASA Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE), or follow-ons to NASA’s Mars CubeSat missions MarCO-A and -B, and unlike MarCO, could enable Mars Orbit Insertion. It can also be used for NASA LEO and GEO nanosat missions, whether launched as dedicated or as secondary payloads. Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words): Non-NASA applications include commercial and DoD missions requiring high orbital maneuver capabilities. These include dedicated missions on small launch vehicles where additional delta-V is required, as well as commercial space-tug applications, e.g. on Falcon-9 rideshare launches. The stage can also be modified for other applications such as orbital inspectors from LEO to cislunar operations. Duration: 24