Find the Thruster that best fits your Mission Specifications

CUA’s family of micropropulsion systems are now developed for flight and will help the industry to provide a responsible and sustainable space environment in which the growing number of satellites can safely coexist. The CUA family of high-value system options provides a broad range of capabilities to best suit differing customer mission needs. Our focus is to provide quality performance at a reduced cost. Further, affordable propulsion options will enable future satellites life-cycle propulsion solutions to perform collision avoidance, orbital trajectory change, and deorbiting maneuvers to impede the escalation of the growing orbital debris problem.

Gas Systems (Cold, Warm, and Hot)

Parameters/Propulsion System

CHIPS (0.5U)

MVP (0.9U)

MPUC (2U)

Total Impulse

176 N-s

265 N-s

2,122 N-s

Thrust

15.00 mN

3.20 mN

230.00 mN

Specific Impulse

67 sec

63 sec

178 sec

Wet Mass

1,079 g

1,052 g

3,250 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume)

326 N-s/liter

286 N-s/liter

1,061 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL)

6

Feed: 4 / Thruster Head: 6

CHIPS (0.5U)

Total Impulse: 176 N-s

Thrust: 15.00 mN

Specific Impulse: 67 sec

Wet Mass: 1,079 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 326 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): 6

MVP (0.9U)

Total Impulse: 265 N-s

Thrust: 3.20 mN

Specific Impulse: 63 sec

Wet Mass: 1,052 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 286 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): 6

MPUC (2U)

Total Impulse: 2,122 N-s

Thrust: 230.00 mN

Specific Impulse: 178 sec

Wet Mass: 3,250 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 1,061 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): Feed: 4 / Thruster Head: 6

Thruster System Package Volume

540 cm³

926 cm³

2,000 cm³

Propulsion Technology

Micro-resistojet

Monopropellant

Propellant

R134a

Polymer Fiber (Delrin)

H₂O₂ Ethanol

Power Draw When Firing

20 (10) W

33.5 (13.2) W

3 W

Mass Flow Rate

23 mg/s

5.2 mg/s

132 mg/s

Propellant Mass

277 g

430 g

1,214 g

Dry Mass

750 g

622 g

2,036 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX kg S/C Wet Mass)

47 (4 kg) m/s

26 (10.5 kg) m/s

158 (14 kg) m/s

Attitude Control System (ACS) Capability

Yes (6 DOF)

No

Maximum continuous thrust time (rest time)

10 (10) min

2 (11.1) min

55 min

CHIPS (0.5U) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 540 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Micro-resistojet

Propellant: R134a

Power Draw When Firing: 20 (10) W

Mass Flow Rate: 23 mg/s

Propellant Mass: 277 g

Dry Mass: 750 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 47 (4 kg) m/s

Attitude Control System (ACS) Capability: Yes (6 DOF)

Maximum continous thrust time (rest time): 10 (10) min

MVP (0.9U) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 926 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Micro-resistojet

Propellant: Polymer Fiber (Delrin)

Power Draw When Firing: 33.5 (13.2) W

Mass Flow Rate: 5.2 mg/s

Propellant Mass: 430 g

Dry Mass: 622 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 26 (10.5 kg) m/s

Attitude Control System (ACS) Capability: No

Maximum continous thrust time (rest time): 2 (11.1) min

MPUC (2U) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 2,000 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Monopropellant

Propellant: <div>H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> Ethanol</div>

Power Draw When Firing: 3 W

Mass Flow Rate: 132 mg/s

Propellant Mass: 1,214 g

Dry Mass: 2,036 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 158 (14 kg) m/s

Attitude Control System (ACS) Capability: No

Maximum continous thrust time (rest time): 55 min

Pulsed Plasma Thruster Systems (High Specific Impulse)

Parameters/Propulsion System

QT-PPT (Disc)

QT-PPT (Fiber)

FPPT (1.7U)

FPPT (ESPA Class)

Total Impulse

1,100 N-s

2,700 N-s

29,000 N-s

500,000 N-s

Thrust

0.14 mN

0.07 mN

1.20 mN

Specific Impulse

700 sec

1,575 sec

3,870 sec

3,300 sec

Wet Mass

790 g

920 g

3,030 g

55,000 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume)

2,000 N-s/liter

4,030 N-s/liter

16,870 N-s/liter

9,524 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL)

5

6

5

QT-PPT (Disc)

Total Impulse: 1,100 N-s

Thrust: 0.14 mN

Specific Impulse: 700 sec

Wet Mass: 790 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 2,000 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): 5

QT-PPT (Fiber)

Total Impulse: 2,700 N-s

Thrust: 0.07 mN

Specific Impulse: 1,575 sec

Wet Mass: 920 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 4,030 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): 5

FPPT (1.7U)

Total Impulse: 29,000 N-s

Thrust: 0.07 mN

Specific Impulse: 3,870 sec

Wet Mass: 3,030 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 16,870 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): 6

FPPT (ESPA Class)

Total Impulse: 500,000 N-s

Thrust: 1.20 mN

Specific Impulse: 3,300 sec

Wet Mass: 55,000 g

Vol. Impulse (total impulse / system volume): 9,524 N-s/liter

Technical Readiness Level (TRL): 5

Thruster System Package Volume

550 cm³

670 cm³

1,719 cm³

52,500 cm³

Propulsion Technology

Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Propellant

PTFE Disc-Passive

PTFE (Teflon®) Fiber – Active

Propellant Mass

160 g

170 g

780 g

35,000 g

Dry Mass

630 g

750 g

2,250 g

20,000 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX kg S/C Wet Mass)

280 (4) m/s

450 (6) m/s

2,900 (10.5) m/s

4,880 (250) m/s

Nominal Power Draw (@ Pulse Rate)

20 (2 Hz) W

16 (0.64 Hz) W

185 (2 Hz) W

Capacitor Bank Energy

7.4 J

19 J

75 J

Mass per Pulse

0.010 mg

0.0023 mg

0.0028 mg

0.019 mg

Thrust Vectoring

No

Yes

Yes (±5°)

QT-PPT (Disc) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 550 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Propellant: <p>PTFE Disc-Passive</p>

Propellant Mass: 160 g

Dry Mass: 630 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 280 (4) m/s

Nominal Power Draw (@ Pulse Rate): 20 (2 Hz) W

Capacitor Bank Energy: 7.4 J

Mass per Pulse: 0.010 mg

Thrust Vectoring: No g

QT-PPT (Fiber) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 670 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Propellant: PTFE (Teflon®) Fiber – Active

Propellant Mass: 170 g

Dry Mass: 750 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 450 (6) m/s

Nominal Power Draw (@ Pulse Rate): 20 (2 Hz) W

Capacitor Bank Energy: 7.4 J

Mass per Pulse: 0.0023 mg

Thrust Vectoring: Yes g

FPPT (1.7U) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 1,719 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Propellant: PTFE (Teflon®) Fiber – Active

Propellant Mass: 780 g

Dry Mass: 2,250 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 2,900 (10.5) m/s

Nominal Power Draw (@ Pulse Rate): 16 (0.64 Hz) W

Capacitor Bank Energy: 19 J

Mass per Pulse: 0.0028 mg

Thrust Vectoring: Yes (±5°) g

FPPT (ESPA Class) continued...

Thruster System Package Volume: 52,500 cm³

Propulsion Technology: Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Propellant: PTFE (Teflon®) Fiber – Active

Propellant Mass: 35,000 g

Dry Mass: 20,000 g

Delta-V Capability (for XX Kg S/C Wet Mass): 4,880 (250) m/s

Nominal Power Draw (@ Pulse Rate): 185 (2 Hz) W

Capacitor Bank Energy: 75 J

Mass per Pulse: 0.019 mg

Thrust Vectoring: Yes (±5°) g

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