Hybrid Propulsion System Enabling Orbit Insertion Delta-Vs Within A 12 U Spacecraft

This paper describes the design and development status of a hybrid CubeSat propulsion system. This system is designed to be packaged within a 12 U envelope and deliver approximately 800 m/s Delta V to a 25 kg spacecraft. The hybrid motor uses green propellants, specifically gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer and solid Poly(Methyl MethAcrylate) (PMMA), also known as acrylic, as the fuel. This propellant combination is separated by phase and is non-toxic and non-hypergolic, making the design well suited for use within a secondary payload where safety is paramount. The hybrid motor has high performance with an I-sp of approximately 300 s and is able to be re-ignited, enabling numerous maneuvers to be conducted. The system also provides thrust vector control during main motor operation and attitude control for reaction wheel un-loading during the science mission phase. A dedicated test program has been conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory over the past three years to progress this design towards flight and verify the design assumptions. This paper will summarize the results of this test program and the demonstrated performance of the motor. A path to progress this system towards flight shall also be discussed.