NASA STTR 2008 Solicitation

FORM B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 08-1 T3.01-9976
RESEARCH SUBTOPIC TITLE: Technologies for Space Power and Propulsion
PROPOSAL TITLE: Advanced Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (AMET)
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (SBC): RESEARCH INSTITUTION (RI):
NAME: Orbital Technologies Corporation NAME: University of Alabama Hu
ntsville
STREET: Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive STREET: 301 Sparkman Drive
CITY: Madison CITY: Huntsville
STATE/ZIP: WI 53717 - 1961 STATE/ZIP: AL 35899 - 0001
PHONE: (608) 827-5000 PHONE: (800) 824-2255
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Z
ip, Phone)
Chris St. Clair
stclairc@orbitec.com
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) and the University of Alabama at Hunt
sville (UAH) propose to develop the Advanced Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (
AMET), a high-efficiency thruster which will use water propellant to enable vari
ous Lunar and Mars missions. The proposed AMET will incorporate a number of inno
vations to dramatically improve upon existing designs, including the use of a lo
wer microwave frequency (915 MHz) to permit the achievement of very high microwa
ve generation efficiency with commercially-available magnetrons. The AMET is a p
articularly attractive option for this class of missions because it provides spe
cific impulse (~800 seconds) well beyond the reach of chemical propulsion, it pr
ovides high thrust per unit power to keep transit times acceptably short, and it
permits the use of an easily-storable propellant (water) which is known to be a
vailable on both the Moon and Mars. ORBITEC staff has experience operating micro
wave electrothermal thrusters with water vapor as propellant. In Phase I, the AM
ET will be demonstrated with water vapor propellant to demonstrate feasibility,
reaching TRL 4. In Phase II, a flight-like AMET will be developed and demonstrat
ed and a design will be prepared for an entire AMET flight propulsion system, re
aching TRL 6.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150
words)
The AMET has the potential to enable a broad spectrum of space missions to the M
oon, Mars, and beyond by providing low-cost, high-performance electric propulsio
n using environmentally-benign water propellant which is known to be available i
n both the Lunar and Martian environments. The AMET will lend itself to mission
architectures involving refueling at the Moon and Mars, minimizing launch costs
by utilizing in-situ resources. The AMET is highly synergistic for manned missio
ns because water is always a part of such missions for life-support purposes.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately
150 words)
The AMET, and related MET propulsion systems, will also be very attractive for a
pplications in Earth orbit for both DoD and commercial space operations. In one
configuration, the AMET may be combined with a chemical rocket engine using hydr
ogen-oxygen, formed by on-board electrolysis, to form a highly flexible dual-mod
e propulsion system which can respond to emerging mission requirements with eith
er electric propulsion or chemical propulsion, enabling mission planners to achi
eve high Isp or high thrust, as needed. Such a system would be attractive for sp
ace systems ranging from commercial communications satellites to DoD surveillanc
e spacecraft in need of periodic orbital maneuvering.
NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to dissem
inate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of
over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Electrostatic Thrusters
Form Generated on 11-24-08 11:59