Aerojet Rocketdyne to mature development of Nasa’s MPS-130 CubeSat modular propulsion system

Aerojet Rocketdyne has secured a contract from Nasa to mature the development of a MPS-130 CubeSat propulsion system using the AF-M315E green propellant.

According to the deal, Aerojet Rocketdyne will develop a fully integrated MPS-130 green modular propulsion system for flight demonstration, as well as perform development and validation testing.

Designed to increase CubeSat manoeuvrability, the new technology aims to provide a modular propulsion system that mainly features 3D printed components.

The MPS-130 green propulsion system will also offer a safer, more efficient, higher-performance alternative than the traditional hydrazine propellant.

To be developed under Nasa space technology mission directorate's ‘Utilising Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies’ solicitation, the technology will help increase mission life, architecture resiliency, manoeuvring to higher and lower orbits, as well as conduct complex proximity operations and formation flying.

Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president Eileen Drake said: "This new class of CubeSat propulsion systems can be used in future Nasa, military and commercial missions, and the benefits for the public and private sectors will be immense.

“Not only will it allow operators to increase the in-space capability of CubeSats and SmallSats, but it will allow them to operate more affordably and efficiently, and with a safer propellant."

By using 3D printing technology, Aerojet aims to cut the number of parts and amount of time required to manufacture and assemble the modular propulsion system.

With the contract, Nasa intends to allow private industry to develop and qualify technologies for commercial space industry.

Aerojet Rocketdyne has recently been selected to work with Sierra Nevada (SNC) to conduct an architectural design study for a habitation system to allow Nasa astronauts to stay for long durations beyond low-Earth orbit missions.