US engineers develop propulsion system for small satellites

Now, thanks to a new rocket motor concept developed by a team from Los Alamos Laboratory in the US they could be about to become even more useful.

The primary roadblock to CubeSat propulsion has always been safety.  Typical spacecraft propulsion systems utilise fuels that are intrinsically hazardous, like hydrazine, or compressed gasses.  Since CubeSats are usually deployed via “rideshare” or “piggyback” on a larger satellite deployment or other large space mission, even a small margin of risk is unacceptable.

However, the Los Alamos team has tested a six-motor CubeSat-compatible propulsion array that it claims could address these concerns. “I think we’re very close to being able to put this propulsion system onto a satellite for a simple demonstration propulsion capability in space,” said Bryce Tappan, lead researcher on the CubeSat Propulsion Concept team

The concept under development is a solid-based chemical fuel technology, but differs from classical solid propellants because it is completely non-detonable, making it much less hazardous.