On-Board Pressurization Systems for Sample Return Missions, Phase I

While the proposed pump-fed propulsion system has direct applications for Mars Ascent Vehicles and sample return missions, the enabling technology proposed herein overcomes a key challenge of providing on-board pressurization at the small-scale, thereby enabling a new generation liquid bipropellant rocket engines in the 100-5,000lbf thrust class, with a T/W ratio in excess of 100, and a vacuum Isp >300sec. Other NASA applications for such high-performance propulsion systems are therefore also likely to include lunar ascent / descent missions (precursor rovers, cargo, etc.), Near-Earth-Object (NEO) missions and outer planet orbit capture and insertion. Beyond NASA applications, the proposed high-performance pumps are expected to have wide relevance to upper stage propulsion technology for small commercial launch vehicles, advanced Department of Defense vehicles such as XS-1, commercial lander missions, orbit insertion engines for commercial satellites, and apogee kick motors for orbit circularization of commercial satellites. More »