Micro-Satellite Technology Experiment (MiTEx) Upper Stage Propulsion System Development

Abstract

The Micro-satellite Technology Experiment (MiTEx) program is a joint technology demonstration mission between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy (USN) and private industry to develop innovative satellite and launch systems supporting the Department of Defense (DoD) (Figure 1). MiTEx demonstrated a new launch vehicle Upper Stage (US) and successfully transferred two microsatellite payloads from geosynchronous transfer orbit to geosynchronous orbit. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) developed the US for launch on the Boeing Delta II 7925. Its monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) bi-propellant propulsion system shown in Figure 2 demonstrated several advanced space technologies including: • Platinum/rhodium bi-propellant attitude control thrusters • High-performance coated columbium delta-V thruster • Commercial off-the-shelf manual valve tested to aerospace standards • Lightweight Inconel-718 composite overwrap pressure vessels • Lightweight titanium propellant tanks with internal propellant management devices This paper summarizes the US propulsion system, mission requirements, derived propulsion requirements, and the design, analysis and trades of the propulsion system. It also documents the component and system development activities required to meet the MiTEx mission objectives. Figure 1. MiTEx is a joint DARPA, Navy, Air Force program. Figure 2. The MiTEx Upper Stage propulsion system. 1 Member, AIAA 2 Associate Fellow, AIAA 43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit 8 11 July 2007, Cincinnati, OH AIAA 2007-5434 This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.