Mulkey, Henry W. | Search NASA

NASA NTRS2018

Green Propulsion Advancement and Infusion

All space missions benefit from increased propulsion system performance, allowing lower spacecraft launch mass, larger scientific payloads, or extended on-orbit lifetimes. Likewise, long-term storable liquid propellant candidates that offer significant reduction in personnel hazards and shorter payload processing schedules present a more attractive propulsion subsystem solution to spacecraft builders. Aiming to reduce risk to potential infusion missions and fully comprehend the alternative propellant performance, the work presented herein represents many years of development and collaborative efforts to successfully align higher performance, low toxicity green propellants into NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) missions. High Performance Green Propulsion (HPGP), and the associated propellant technology, has advanced significantly in maturity with increased familiarity with LMP-103S propellant handling, the proven reduction in loading hazards, successful launches conducted at multiple international Ranges, and HPGP on-orbit flight heritage. As science missions move forward to the potential infusion of HPGP technology, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its partners are working to address gaps in system performance and operational considerations.

Spacecraft Propulsion and Power↗

NASA NTRS2018

Green Propulsion Advancement and Infusion

All space missions benefit from increased propulsion system performance allowing lower spacecraft launch mass, larger scientific payloads, or extended on-orbit lifetimes. Likewise, propellant candidates that offer significant reduction in personnel hazards and shorter payload processing present a more attractive propulsion subsystem solution. Aiming to reduce risk to potential infusion missions and fully comprehend the alternative propellant performance, the work presented herein represents many years of development and collaborative efforts to successfully align higher performance, low toxicity hydrazine alternatives into NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) missions. The High Performance Green Propulsion (HPGP) technology is being considered for Science Mission Directorate (SMD) missions.

Spacecraft Propulsion and Power↗

NASA NTRS2016

Green Propellant Landing Demonstration at U.S. Range

The Green Propellant Loading Demonstration (GPLD) was conducted December 2015 at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), leveraging work performed over recent years to bring lower toxicity hydrazine replacement green propellants to flight missions. The objective of this collaboration between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), WFF, the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB), and Ecological Advanced Propulsion Systems (ECAPS) was to successfully accept LMP-103S propellant at a U.S. Range, store the propellant, and perform a simulated flight vehicle propellant loading. NASA GSFC Propulsion (Code 597) managed all aspects of the operation, handling logistics, preparing the procedures, and implementing the demonstration. In addition to the partnership described above, Moog Inc. developed an LMP-103S propellant-compatible titanium rolling diaphragm flight development tank and loaned it to GSFC to act as the GPLD flight vessel. The flight development tank offered the GPLD an additional level of flight-like propellant handling process and procedures. Moog Inc. also provided a compatible latching isolation valve for remote propellant expulsion. The GPLD operation, in concert with Moog Inc. executed a flight development tank expulsion efficiency performance test using LMP-103S propellant. As part of the demonstration work, GSFC and WFF documented Range safety analyses and practices including all elements of shipping, storage, handling, operations, decontamination, and disposal. LMP-103S has not been previously handled at a U.S. Launch Range. Requisite for this activity was an LMP-103S Risk Analysis Report and Ground Safety Plan. GSFC and WFF safety offices jointly developed safety documentation for application into the GPLD operation. The GPLD along with the GSFC Propulsion historical hydrazine loading experiences offer direct comparison between handling green propellant versus safety intensive, highly toxic hydrazine propellant. These described motives initiated the GPLD operation in order to investigate the handling and process safety variances in project resources between LMP-103S and typical in-space propellants. The GPLD risk reduction operation proved successful for many reasons including handling the green propellant at a U.S. Range, loading and pressurizing a flight-like tank, expelling the propellant, measuring the tank expulsion efficiency, and most significantly, GSFC propulsion personnel's new insight into the LMP-103S propellant handling details.

Propellant↗

NASA NTRS2016

Green Propellant Loading Demonstration at U.S. Range

The Green Propellant Loading Demonstration (GPLD) was conducted December 2015 at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), leveraging work performed over recent years to bring lower toxicity hydrazine replacement green propellants to flight missions. The objective of this collaboration between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), WFF, the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB), and Ecological Advanced Propulsion Systems (ECAPS) was to successfully accept LMP-103S propellant at a U.S. Range, store the propellant, and perform a simulated flight vehicle propellant loading. NASA GSFC Propulsion (Code 597) managed all aspects of the operation, handling logistics, preparing the procedures, and implementing the demonstration. In addition to the partnership described above, Moog Inc. developed an LMP-103S propellant-compatible titanium rolling diaphragm flight development tank and loaned it to GSFC to act as the GPLD flight vessel. The flight development tank offered the GPLD an additional level of flight-like propellant handling process and procedures. Moog Inc. also provided a compatible latching isolation valve for remote propellant expulsion. The GPLD operation, in concert with Moog Inc. executed a flight development tank expulsion efficiency performance test using LMP-103S propellant. As part of the demonstration work, GSFC and WFF documented Range safety analyses and practices including all elements of shipping, storage, handling, operations, decontamination, and disposal. LMP-103S has not been previously handled at a U.S. Launch Range. Requisite for this activity was an LMP-103S Risk Analysis Report and Ground Safety Plan. GSFC and WFF safety offices jointly developed safety documentation for application into the GPLD operation. The GPLD along with the GSFC Propulsion historical hydrazine loading experiences offer direct comparison between handling green propellant versus safety intensive, highly toxic hydrazine propellant. These described motives initiated the GPLD operation in order to investigate the handling and process safety variances in project resources between LMP-103S and typical in-space propellants. The GPLD risk reduction operation proved successful for many reasons including handling the green propellant at a U.S. Range, loading and pressurizing a flight-like tank, expelling the propellant, measuring the tank expulsion efficiency, and most significantly, GSFC propulsion personnel's new insight into the LMP-103S propellant handling details.

Green Propellant↗

NASA NTRS2014

An Analysis of Green Propulsion Applied to NASA Missions

The advantages of green propulsion for five mission classes are examined, including a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mission (GPM), a Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) mission (SDO), a High Earth Orbit (HEO) mission (MMS), a lunar mission (LRO), and a planetary mission (MAVEN). The propellant mass benefits are considered for all five missions, as well as the effects on the tanks, propellant loading, thruster throughput, thermal considerations, and range requirements for both the AF-M315E and LMP-103S propellants.

Pocket Propulsion↗