NASA SBIR 2008 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Busek Co., Inc.
11 Tech Circle
Natick, MA 01760 - 1023
(508) 655-5565

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James Szabo
jszabo@busek.com
11 Tech Circle
Natick, MA 01760 - 1023
(508) 655-5565

Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
Busek proposes to develop an integrated propulsion, power, ACS, (ProPACS) system for micro-spacecraft deployed from the ESPA ring secondary payload ports. The standardized ProPACS system integrates the essential elements needed for highly capable micro-spacecraft bus including; 1) 600 W Hall effect thruster system for primary propulsion, 2) Xe cold gas thrusters for propulsive ACS, 3) articulated solar array, batteries and power management and distribution (PMAD) system with steady state power of 700W available to the payload when propulsion is off and 4) an integral structure that supports the payload and a LightBand separation mechanism for the ESPA ring. The ProPACS can provide over 1,800 m/sec deltaV to a 181 kg spacecraft with a 80kg payload.

In Phase 1 ProPACS system architecture design was completed and all major components were identified. Mass, power, data budgets were developed and major interfaces were specified.

Phase 2 focus will be on the ProPACS elements with lower TRL to achieve system wide TRL6 at the end of the program. The thruster will be advanced to near flight level, two PMAD systems will be evaluated and one selected and the ProPACS integral structure supporting the payload and separation ring will be designed and built.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed ProPACS system can distribute secondary payloads deployed at one location from a single ESPA to multiple other orbits separated by as much 800m/s deltaV. The proposed system will increase the number and value of flight opportunities for NASA and University researchers by more than an order of magnitude. By adapting the ProPACS to carry P-POD system for Cubesats, it could deliver 27 of 3kg CubeSats to nearly arbitrary orbits from a single ProPACS. A mix microsats and P-PODs on a single ESPA is also feasible, all with an option to go to widely disparate destinations. NASA Ames estimates there is an estimated 13,500 kilograms of excess lift capacity for ESPA payloads available between now and 2013.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
There are at least 3 upcoming Air Force ESPA class S/C (15 secondary payload rideshare opportunities) currently scheduled. For the military, this capability will produce launch opportunities and missions of interest to customers such as MDA, DoD, and NRO. For commercial users, a successful demonstration will greatly increase the utility of ESPA-derived launch opportunities and will increase demand for ProPACS within the commercial industry. Commercial users may also wish to adopt the CubeSat architecture to conduct on-orbit experiments.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate 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 Launch and Flight Vehicle Modular Interconnects Operations Concepts and Requirements Power Management and Distribution