The MVP thruster system supports the NASA Roadmap for In-Space Propulsion Systems, nonchemical propulsion. MVP offers CubeSats and other small satellites a propulsion capability sufficient for various orbital maneuvers with several millinewtons of thrust requiring minimal thrust-control ACS and a minimal volume and system integration cost. The baseline MVP, occupying a 1U volume, has minimal impact on the CubeSat bus and payload. The solid propellant has no handling, storage, or operational restrictions beyond those of the CubeSat. The ease of handling and storage for the solid propellant can extend operation to planetary missions with no additional monitoring or controls.
The MVP thruster will provide a compact, light-weight, non-hazardous, propulsion technology solution that will be made available in a family of sizes that can meet the differing needs of users in DOD, industry, and academia for CubeSat and small-satellite missions. MVP will require no safety equipment for storage, transportation, integration, and testing, and place no demanding requirements on the launch provider, making it an ideal low-cost solution for industry, research, and academic small-satellite propulsion needs.
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