Nammo

Norwegian/Finnish aerospace and defence group Nammo has successfully completed the long-term exposure and compatibility tests of its newly developed aluminium propellant tank.

To be used in the company’s hydrogen peroxide-based propulsion system, the company was able to achieve an expulsion factor of more than 99% for the tank.

The test is considered to be the final step towards achieving the company’s goal to develop a complete green propulsion subsystem for spacecraft integration.

The company’s mono-propellant propulsion subsystem uses hydrogen peroxide as the propellant, which has been chosen as a green propulsion alternative to replace hydrazine.

Nammo missile products division executive vice-president Frank Moeller said: "Currently, most spacecraft thrusters are powered by hydrazine, a toxic and corrosive fuel that is dangerous to handle and store.

"Nammo’s propulsion system is based on a safe, non-toxic and low-cost propellant, which also helps lowering overall cost by eliminating expensive infrastructure needed for the handling of highly toxic fuels."

"Nammo’s propulsion system is based on a safe, non-toxic and low-cost propellant, which also helps lowering overall cost by eliminating expensive infrastructure needed for the handling of highly toxic fuels. This will reduce launch cost by making it safer and easier to launch the spacecraft."

During testing, the system performed well for both short pulses, long-duration burning at nominal thrust level of 200N, as well as throttling between 50N and 230N.

The tests also proved that the technology is easily scalable, providing a design flexibility.

In 2013, the company was awarded a contract to develop and deliver the secondary propulsion system onboard the second stage of Ariane 5 ME.

However, the Ariane 5 ME programme was abandoned and the development contract of the system was subsequently also cancelled by the prime contractor European Space Agency.

A new Ariane 6 programme was introduced this year by the agency and Nammo is working on developing a comprehensive test programme for the complete secondary propulsion subsystem for Ariane 6 launcher or Vega.

European Space Agency has scheduled a test flight for Ariane 6 by 2020.

Image: The aluminium hydrogen peroxide storage tank. Photo: courtesy of Nammo.