SBIR/STTR
Small-Scale, Methane-Fueled Reaction Control Engines for In-Space Propulsion, Phase I
Project Introduction
Given increasing interest in high-performance, Methane-fueled reaction control engines in the 5-100lbf thrust class, Ventions proposes the design, fabrication and hot-fire testing of a nominal 50lbf engine that is batch fabricated in a low-cost manner using a novel manufacturing process. The proposed approach leverages several years of DARPA and NASA funded work by Ventions in the successful development and ground / flight testing of such configurations, and allows for the realization of complex regenerative cooling passages and injector geometries previously unattainable by conventional fabrication methodologies.
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Anticipated Benefits
Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The 50lbf reaction control engines proposed herein can readily be scaled up or down to thrusts in the 10-250lbf range, hence, it is expected to have numerous applications for NASA missions. This is particularly true if the primary propulsion for the spacecraft is also LOX / Methane based, thereby allowing for the secondary RCE propulsion to tap off the main tankage and / or residuals. Specific examples of these applications are likely to include reaction control for human-rated spacecraft, and for lander and ascent vehicles for planetary or lunar missions (either human or large science spacecraft / rovers). Additionally, the technology is also suitable for primary ascent or descent propulsion for smaller spacecraft missions such as lunar landers, Mars hoppers, or the like thereof.
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Johnson Space Center
(JSC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Houston, TX |
| Ventions, LLC | Supporting Organization | Industry | San Francisco, CA |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
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Organizational Responsibility
Responsible Mission Directorate:
- Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Lead Center / Facility:
- Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Responsible Program:
- SBIR/STTR
Project Management
Program Director:
Program Manager:
Principal Investigator:
- Adam P London
Project Duration
Start: Jun 2015
End: Dec 2015
Technology Maturity (TRL)
| Start: | 3 |
| Current: | 4 |
| Estimated End: | 4 |
Applied Research
Development
Demo & Test
Technology Areas
Primary:
- TA 2 In-Space Propulsion Technologies
- TA 2.1 Chemical Propulsion
- TA 2.1.2 Liquid Cryogenic