Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Micropump for MON-25/MMH Propulsion and Attitude Control, Phase II
Project Description
Flight Works is proposing to expand its work in micro-gear-pumps for hypergolic and ?green? propellants in order to develop and demonstrate a micropump for MON-25 and mono methyl hydrazine (MMH) bipropellant thrusters. MON-25, with 25% of nitric oxide (NO) and 75% nitrogen tetroxide (NTO, N2O4), allows lowering the oxidizer freezing point to -55 C, which is a close match to that of the fuel, MMH (which is around -51 C). While toxic, this propellant combination is hypergolic and allows operations over a wide range of temperatures, particularly in extremely cold environments as those envisioned for many future missions. For NASA deep space and Moon/Mars missions, such as lunar lander and Mars ascent vehicles, the introduction of a micropump in the propulsion system provides significant performance benefits. For missions with high delta-Vs, the system wet mass is greatly reduced, or at fixed total wet mass, scientific payload mass increases. For example, in the case of a lunar lander (delta-V > 3,000 m/s), a two-stage configuration can be replaced by a pump-fed single-stage system of the same mass while the pressure-fed would have to be larger. Flight Works is proposing to develop and characterize micropumps suitable for 5 lbf and 100 lbf MMH/MON-25 thrusters. These will be used to perform pump-fed MMH/MON-25 hot-fire test demonstrations of the technology under representative environmental conditions in order to reach a TRL 6 by the end of Phase II.
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Anticipated Benefits
The technology offers the means of improving propulsion systems to be used over a wider range of temperatures than what is currently available. The propellant combination MMH/MON-25 allows for operational temperatures as low as -50 C. These propellants, combined with electrically driven micropumps, provide increased mission flexibility and performance. Trade studies show that it can be an enabler. For example, a single-stage can be used instead of two-stages for the Lunar Geophysical Network, a candidate New Frontiers lunar lander mission. The micropump can also be used in MMH/MON-3 systems. With the reduced vapor pressure of MON-3 compared to that of MON-25, the propulsion system can be further transformed into a low-pressure, low cost, more compact and lighter system while allowing high performance thrusters. Studies conducted for another candidate New Frontiers mission, the Trojan Asteroid mission, show the possibility to increase scientific instrument mass by as much as 76% or more depending on the selected (low) tank pressure. In general, the micropump technology has applications in any NASA mission with challenging propulsion needs: scientific missions going in or out of gravity wells, e.g. Moon landers, Mars ascent vehicles, or deep space missions to asteroids or comets. Flight Work?s strategy is to work closely with propulsion system integrators during the development phases so as to transfer the technology into operational products. The technology is applicable to propulsion systems in general, such as those on commercial spacecraft (e.g. telecommunications market), for DoD spacecraft and missiles including in Divert Attitude Control Systems, and to on-orbit propellant management.
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Works, Inc. | Lead Organization | Industry | Irvine, California |
Glenn Research Center
(GRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Cleveland, Ohio |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Ohio
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