Session
Launch & Propulsion
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) funded CU Aerospace (CUA) to develop and fabricate the Dual Propulsion Experiment (DUPLEX) 6U CubeSat to perform an on-orbit mission demonstration of two new polymer fiber electric propulsion technologies developed by CUA using NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding. Both new propulsion technologies have multiple advantages: they utilize no fluid propellant, no pressure vessel, no valves to clog or leak, and no toxic materials. The 1.7U fiber-fed pulsed plasma thruster (FPPT) uses spooled Teflon filament as its propellant, has extremely high total impulse ( > 29,000 N-s) with high specific impulse ( > 3,500 s), and is suitable for 6U or larger satellites. The monofilament vaporization propulsion (MVP) thruster is a compact resistojet technology that uses spooled Delrin propellant. The 0.9U MVP has a total impulse of 265 N-s and specific impulse of 63 s, suitable for 3U or larger CubeSats. Both thrusters provide a low-cost option for orbit change, orbit maintenance, collision avoidance, and deorbiting. NearSpace Launch (NSL) fabricated the bus with flight processor, electrical power system, satellite health monitoring, and radios. This paper presents initial flight test data of the DUPLEX satellite and its two new thruster systems including trials and tribulations of the early mission operations. DUPLEX mission simulations were updated to map out an accurate mission profile based upon the actual deployment date (2 Dec. 2025) and unexpected findings during the commissioning process. Both thrusters have now attained operational flight heritage, are considered Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8, and thruster operations are ongoing to continue acquiring on-orbit data.
Document Type
Event
Initial Flight Test Data of the DUPLEX 6U Satellite and the FPPT and MVP Thrusters
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) funded CU Aerospace (CUA) to develop and fabricate the Dual Propulsion Experiment (DUPLEX) 6U CubeSat to perform an on-orbit mission demonstration of two new polymer fiber electric propulsion technologies developed by CUA using NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding. Both new propulsion technologies have multiple advantages: they utilize no fluid propellant, no pressure vessel, no valves to clog or leak, and no toxic materials. The 1.7U fiber-fed pulsed plasma thruster (FPPT) uses spooled Teflon filament as its propellant, has extremely high total impulse ( > 29,000 N-s) with high specific impulse ( > 3,500 s), and is suitable for 6U or larger satellites. The monofilament vaporization propulsion (MVP) thruster is a compact resistojet technology that uses spooled Delrin propellant. The 0.9U MVP has a total impulse of 265 N-s and specific impulse of 63 s, suitable for 3U or larger CubeSats. Both thrusters provide a low-cost option for orbit change, orbit maintenance, collision avoidance, and deorbiting. NearSpace Launch (NSL) fabricated the bus with flight processor, electrical power system, satellite health monitoring, and radios. This paper presents initial flight test data of the DUPLEX satellite and its two new thruster systems including trials and tribulations of the early mission operations. DUPLEX mission simulations were updated to map out an accurate mission profile based upon the actual deployment date (2 Dec. 2025) and unexpected findings during the commissioning process. Both thrusters have now attained operational flight heritage, are considered Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8, and thruster operations are ongoing to continue acquiring on-orbit data.
