Oxygen-Methane Thruster

Orion Propulsion, Inc. (acquired by Dynetics, Inc.)

Huntsville, AL
 

• Provides greater system flexibility over a wider range of operating conditions since it can operate on both liquid and gaseous propellants.
  
• Provides an extremely scalable design from 10–2,000 lbf thrust.
• Operates in both pulse and sustained burn mode.
• Uses green propellants and capitalizes on in-situ propellant production.
  
• Designed for reusability and modularity that allows for robust inspection and easy replacement of parts.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Improved the designs of both the gaseous oxygen/methane torch igniter and reaction control system (RCS) thruster.
• Refined modeling tools capabilities that support system design and analysis.
  
• Completed the assembly of the high-altitude prototype.
• Demonstrated operation of the igniter and/or thruster at both sea-level and near vacuum conditions.
  
  

• Has potential as an affordable RCS thruster solution that could provide in-space propulsion for attitude control or course correction burns for spacecraft and orbital maneuvering.
• Used a derivative design in a Mentor-Protégé agreement with Boeing, advancing the technology’s TRL and ultimately developing a flight-qualified commercial product that was sold to Bigelow Aerospace.
  
• Successes such as this effort led to Orion being acquired by Dynetics, Inc.
  

• RCS for trans-lunar system architectures, station keeping, and planetary exploration programs that takes advantage of in-situ propellant manufacturing.
• RCS capability for orbital attitude control.
• Liquid/liquid operation is applicable to NASA launch vehicles.

Return to NASA SBIR Success Listings 

Aerospace, Power/Propulsion

Curator: SBIR Support              10/03/11