Chemical propulsion in CubeSats and smallsats is a well-established technique for producing thrust in orbit. This technology is has been the most commonly used means of propulsion for small satellites in years past, although there has been a recent growth in the use of electric propulsion.
Basically, chemical thrusters use a chemical reaction to generate thrust, which propels the spacecraft forward. There are a variety of chemical propulsion systems available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
One of the most commonly used propulsion technologies for small satellites is the monopropellant system. This system uses a single chemical, such as hydrazine, which is decomposed in a catalytic chamber to produce hot gases.
These gases are expelled through a nozzle to generate thrust. Monopropellant systems are simple and reliable, but they have relatively low specific impulse (Isp), which limits the amount of delta-v (change in velocity) that can be achieved with a given amount of propellant.
Another option is the bipropellant system, which uses two chemicals, typically a fuel and an oxidizer, to generate thrust. This system typically has higher Isp than monopropellant systems, which means it can achieve higher delta-v with the same amount of propellant. However, bipropellant systems are more complex and require careful handling of the propellants.
Engineers need to consider a variety of factors when selecting the best chemical propulsion system for their mission. These factors include:
- the specific impulse needed to achieve the mission goals,
- the amount of propellant that can be carried by the spacecraft,
- the available space and weight budget for the propulsion system,
- the safety and handling concerns associated with chemical propellants, and
- the reliability and ease of operation of the chosen system.
In addition, engineers need to consider the environmental impact of the chosen propulsion system. Chemical propulsion systems can produce toxic gases and particles, which can pose a hazard to both the spacecraft and the environment. Engineers should carefully consider the environmental impact of their chosen propulsion system and take appropriate measures to mitigate any potential hazards.
Overall, chemical propulsion systems are a reliable and effective means of propulsion for small satellites. Engineers should carefully consider the pros and cons of each system and select the one that best meets the specific needs of their mission.
Thruster selection and analysis tools
Incorporating thruster units and propulsion operations is one of the most complex aspects of a space mission.
It affects the full operational capabilities – from initial qualification, through value-generating activities, to final de-orbiting processes and requirements upon mission completion.
A number of companies and organizations have produced thruster analysis tools that allow you to simulate and model different aspects of propulsion use in orbit.
These tools can enable a better understanding your system’s flight dynamics and expected performance, with high-fidelity models of all critical aspects of the in-orbit environment.
This enables you to select the best thruster to meet your needs, as well as optimizing other aspects of your mission plans.
Here are a number of well-known examples – click the links below to find out more about each of them.
The IENAI SPACE 360™ is a mission analysis tool with a cutting-edge space mobility analysis capability. It is based on a high-fidelity flight dynamics propagator, coupled to a heuristic optimization algorithm which enables a wide range of concurrent engineering and design functionalities.
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The Exotrail spacestudio™ is a cloud based, Software as a Service product built to design, simulate, and optimize space missions and constellations. Conceived and built in-house, spacestudio™ supports customers in the preliminary phase of designing and building a satellite constellation. spacestudio™ can be used to generate constellation geometries based on service level requirements, and to decide the best deployment strategy.
Chemical propulsion systems on the global marketplace
In this section details of chemical propulsion thrusters units are included, from suppliers around the world. You can click on any of the links below to find out more about the individual system or manufacturer.
You can also submit free requests for further information, quotes, documents, or whatever else is needed for your procurement or trade study processes.
Alternatively, to quickly send out a free and no-obligation request for quote or proposal to multiple vendors, simply click here and share your requirements with us.
An in-space propulsion system for 3-12U CubeSats, and similar platforms, with zero propellant toxicity. The standard 1U configuration of the PM200 propulsion module can deliver in excess of 230 m/s of velocity increment to a 3U CubeSat of 4 kg, at a nominal thrust level of 0.5 N.
The Dawn Aerospace B20 Thruster is developed to utilize in the NewSpace missions. Its assembly includes the thruster body, valves, and control electronics. The B20 thruster can be combined with multiple thrusters for high-thrust missions.
A 0.040 kg (ex. FCV) mass thruster using non-toxic propellant and designed for small satellites and CubeSats. The system has a thrust range of 30 to 100 mN and specific impulse of 196 to 209 s. The system's versatility has been designed to enable new applications for satellite operators along with improving safety and efficiency during integration.
ECAPS's 1N HPGP Thruster is designed for attitude and orbit control of small-sized satellites. 46 1N HPGP thrusters have been demonstrated to date, aboard the PRISMA spacecraft and the SkySat series. The system is ECAPS' most heritage line of thrusters and is most popular with small to medium sized spacecraft, up to 750 kg.
The ECAPS's 5N HPGP Thruster is designed for attitude, trajectory and orbit control of small and medium satellites, providing higher thruster when and where it is needed. The 5N HPGP thruster is currently undergoing a test fire campaign with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, characterizing the performance of the system.
ECAPS's 22N HPGP Thruster is designed for attitude, trajectory and orbit control of larger satellites and for systems such as propulsive payload adaptor rings. The system has a mass of 1.1 kg, a thrust range of 5.5 to 22 N, and a specific impulse of 243 to 255 s. The non-toxic green propellant is designed to enhance versatility, safety, and efficiency during integration and use.
ECAPS's 50N HPGP Thruster is designed for attitude, trajectory and orbit control of larger satellites, including geostationary satellites, or launch vehicle applications. The 2.1 kg system has a specific impulse of 243 to 255 s and thrust range of 12.5 to 50 N. This thruster is currently in development and the company is looking for partners to bring the prior work into fruition.
ECAPS's 200N HPGP Thruster is designed for launch vehicle upper-stage reaction control and potential defense applications, such as missile defense. The system uses non-toxic propellant for added versatility, safety, and integration efficiency.
The Rafael Ltd 1N thruster is a monopropellant hydrazine thruster suitable for maneuvering the satellite, and is qualified for the OFEQ program. The thruster consists of a Flow Control Valve (FCV) that is operated by solenoid and a Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA). The TCA has a bell-shaped nozzle with an expansion ratio of 130. The thruster has flight heritage and is free of any ITAR restrictions.
The Rafael Ltd 5N thruster is a monopropellant hydrazine thruster suitable for maneuvering the satellite, and is qualified for the OFEQ program. The thruster consists of a Flow Control Valve (FCV) that is operated by solenoid and a Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA). The TCA has a bell-shaped nozzle with an expansion ratio of 50. The thruster has flight heritage and is free of any ITAR restrictions.
The Rafael Ltd 25N thruster is a monopropellant hydrazine thruster suitable for maneuvering the satellite, and is qualified for the OFEQ program. The thruster consists of a Flow Control Valve (FCV) that is operated by solenoid and a Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA). The TCA has a bell-shaped nozzle with an expansion ratio of 60. The thruster has flight heritage and is free of any ITAR restrictions.
The Rubicon Space Systems 0.1N High Throughput (HT) Thruster is designed to use in space systems. Rubicon's four 0.1N high throughput (HT) thrusters were successfully demonstrated in space from December 2022 through May 2023, accumulating more than 90 minutes of total firing (on) time and achieving expected nominal thrust and performance. It was developed through a NASA SBIR Phase I/II/III program.
The Rubicon Space Systems 1N High Throughput (HT) Thruster is designed for propulsion applications in space systems. Through a US Space Force SPRINT BAA, Rubicon developed an instrumented 1N HT thruster to demonstrate these design processes and relative thermal characteristics, achieving record throughput and performance, accumulating over 1.4 hours of firing time, and ~1.6kg throughput, and more than 5700 pulses.
The Rubicon Space Systems 5N Low Throughput (LT) Thruster is designed for small satellite applications. Its design enables cheaper and faster manufacturability whilst still maintaining high performance, only sacrificing on total throughput. This low-throughput thruster design targets small satellite mission applications where their primary function would be orbit insertions, breaking maneuvers, and de-orbiting.
The Rubicon Space Systems Phantom Propulsion System is a large, self-contained propulsion module designed for space applications. The module is outfitted with an externally accessible fuel port. It uses four 0.1N ASCENT thrusters in pump-fed operation. Phantom delivers approximately 9000 Ns of total impulse with a mass of less than 10kg.
The Rubicon Space Systems Sprite Propulsion System is a self-contained plug-and-play designed module for satellite applications. Sprite fits a 10cm x 10cm x 15cm envelope plus a “tuna can.” The module is outfitted with an externally accessible fuel port allowing fueling after the module is integrated into the spacecraft. It can be fueled prior to integration or afterward, depending on the customer's requirement. It uses a single 0.1N ASCENT thruster in blow-down operation.
The Benchmark Space Systems Collision Avoidance (COLA) Kit is a 1N blow-down plug-and-play system with a total impulse of 1000 Ns and intelligent control electronics.
The COLA Kit is sized for microsatellites and OTVs to provide rapid sidestep maneuvers to quickly evade conjunction risks and orbital debris. It is designed with reliability and affordability in mind.
The Benchmark Space Systems Collision Avoidance (COLA) Kit is a 1N blow-down plug-and-play system with a total impulse of 2000 Ns and intelligent control electronics.
The COLA Kit is sized for microsatellites and OTVs to provide rapid sidestep maneuvers to quickly evade conjunction risks and orbital debris. It is designed with reliability and affordability in mind.
The Benchmark Space Systems Collision Avoidance (COLA) Kit is a 1N blow-down plug-and-play system with a total impulse of 4000 Ns and intelligent control electronics.
The COLA Kit is sized for microsatellites and OTVs to provide rapid sidestep maneuvers to quickly evade conjunction risks and orbital debris. It is designed with reliability and affordability in mind.
The Benchmark Space Systems Collision Avoidance (COLA) Kit is a 1N blow-down plug-and-play system with a total impulse of 6000 Ns and intelligent control electronics.
The COLA Kit is sized for microsatellites and OTVs to provide rapid sidestep maneuvers to quickly evade conjunction risks and orbital debris. It is designed with reliability and affordability in mind.
The Benchmark Space Systems Halcyon is a non-toxic (‘green’) high-thrust propulsion product line developed for 3U through ESPA satellite operations. The systems are designed to remove common customer pain points by combining intelligent control electronics with a modular system architecture. It utilizes readily available materials and propellants to deliver highly configurable, cost-effective solutions with shorter lead times.
The Benchmark Space Systems Starling is a cold gas propulsion system with a specific impulse of 70s. The propellant options include traditional pressurant gas or Benchmark's patented ODPS™ gas generation technique. Starling can be configured with 1-4 thrusters. It is often used for momentum management and attitude control and can be scaled down for primary CubeSat operations. It is available with the option of a resistojet thruster configuration.
A green monopropellant thruster featuring a patented monolithic catalyst. The system uses non-toxic, green AF-M315E monopropellant which is stable and simpler to store and handle due to its low vapour proessure.
A 0.1 N nominal thrust propulsion unit utilizing stable, non-toxic AF-M315E green monopropellant. The propellant is safe and easy to handle given the low vapour pressure and the system also features a patented monolithic catalyst.
The monopropellant green thruster features a high temperature body, patented catalyst reactor and a low-power piezo microvalve with proven flight heritage. The Post-Launch Pressurization System (PLPS) makes it suitable for Cubesats and Smallsats, and the BGT-X5 system has a scalable and modular design.
The CU Aerospace (CUA) / VACCO Propulsion Unit for CubeSats (PUC) is a complete high- performance and compact small-satellite propulsion solution. The all-welded titanium PUC comes fully integrated with all necessary propulsion subsystems, including controller, power processing unit, micro-cavity discharge thruster, propellant valves, heaters, sensors, and software.
CU Aerospace has tested a proof-of-principle Monopropellant Propulsion Unit for CubeSats (MPUC). Complete catalyzed combustion was demonstrated of a H2O2-based propellant denoted as CMP-8. Thrust stand tests achieved a thrust level of >100mN at Isp >183 s with an average input power of ~3 W, for hot fire runs typically spanning >10 minutes.
An integrated, green proplusion module for small satellites, developed jointly with JAXA, for use in collision avoidance maneuvers. The system utilizes HNP225, a green propellant developed by IHI Aerospace for safer handling at the launch site.
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