{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":9608,"title":"Nitrous Oxide Micro Engines","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10540,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10533,"level":3,"code":"TX01.1.7","title":"Cold Gas","definition":"Cold gas propulsion systems use the stored pressure of inert gasses to increase thrust.","exampleTechnologies":"Cold gas systems for small satellites, upper stages, and human space exploration","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":3,"currentTrl":5,"endTrl":5,"benefits":"NOME technology also has the potential to be applied to numerous different areas. The first of these potential applications would be high altitude or undersea fuel cells. When nitrous is dissociated it produces nitrogen and oxygen gas. The oxygen gas could then be used with either hydrogen or methanol fuel cells to produce electricity. The nitrous reactor could be run for a short time to pressurize a cylinder with a plug of nitrogen/oxygen mix, which could then slowly be siphoned off to be used within a fuel cell. Another particularly interesting technology would be to pass the NOME reactor exhaust through a turbine and, using a generator, creating a very compact miniature power unit. NOME reactors could also include use on micro Sea Gliders to produce rapid buoyancy changes in this type of vehicle over very small periods of time. These small sea gliders would be able to travel underwater without propeller noise, providing numerous potential applications for both civil and military undersea use. NOME technology could also be used to create gas generators that could supply emergency breathing gas to trapped miners, people in underground shelters, or submarines through dissociation of reserve nitrous oxide.
Potential applications for NOME are numerous for NASA. NOME technology would be a novel hardware solution for anywhere an inexpensive, simple, low-thrust rocket engine could be used. Particular areas of interest would be RCS control of satellites, and main propulsion for micro-satellites, or even for propulsion of free-flying telerobots (such as have been discussed for Shuttle, Orion, ISS, or Hubble inspection applications). Currently, the primary RCS propellant used on spacecraft is hydrazine, which is extremely toxic and which therefore greatly complicates and increases the cost of ground handling operations prior to launch. Another key advantage for NASA would be the use of NOME RCS for any spacecraft that employs nitrous technology for other applications. NOME thrusters could be used for ultra fine control EVA thrusters if a nitrous breathing system was being employed, or used as RCS on a manned spacecraft which employed a nitrous-based oxygen supply system. The breathing and NOME subsystems could draw their nitrous from the same reservoir, thus adding to the over all simplicity of the system. Furthermore, NOME could be used on any spacecraft that used a nitrous based main propulsion system (either as a monopropellant, or combining nitrous with a hydrocarbon in a bipropellant or hybrid engine). The overall result of using a non-toxic RCS propellant that serves other spacecraft functions as well would produce major gains in performance and system simplicity.","description":"Nitrous Oxide Micro Engines (NOME) are a new type of nitrous oxide dissociation thruster designed to generate low levels of thrust that can be used for RCS control in large satellites or as main propulsion in micro-satellites. Nitrous is the ideal propellant choice for RCS control in satellites due to the fact that it is non-toxic, non-cryogenic, easily storable, self-pressurizing, and cost effective (unlike monopropellant engines that use hydrazine or hydrogen peroxide which are toxic and/or dangerous, increasing ground costs). NOME engines will have all the desirable features of other monopropellant engines (i.e. simplicity of design, restartable/control on demand, and repeatability) NOME engines will also have a comparable ISP to current monopropellant engines (near 190s) but will be made to achieve greater simplicity and lower handling costs than current systems. NOMEs will have over double the Isp of cold gas reaction control systems.","startYear":2011,"startMonth":2,"endYear":2011,"endMonth":9,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":3164165,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Robert","lastName":"Zubrin","fullName":"Robert Zubrin","fullNameInverted":"Zubrin, Robert","primaryEmail":"cfay@pioneerastro.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":406379,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Robert","lastName":"Zubrin","fullName":"Robert M Zubrin","fullNameInverted":"Zubrin, Robert M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"zubrin@aol.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":478216,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Tyler","lastName":"Hickman","fullName":"Tyler Hickman","fullNameInverted":"Hickman, Tyler","primaryEmail":"Tyler.A.Hickman@grc.nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":461333,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Theresa","lastName":"Stanley","fullName":"Theresa M Stanley","fullNameInverted":"Stanley, Theresa M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"theresa.m.stanley@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":65476,"projectId":9608,"transitionDate":"2011-09-01","path":"Closed Out","closeoutDocuments":[{"title":"Final Summary Chart","file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":305684,"fileName":"SBIR_2010_1_FSC_S3.04-8182","fileSize":178774,"objectId":65476,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":1841,"code":"TRANSITION_FILES","description":"Transition Files","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"fileSizeString":"174.6 KB"},"transitionId":65476,"fileId":305684}],"infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"September 2011"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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