1 N Monopropellant Thruster propelled by 98% Hydrogen Peroxide – Cost effective alternative for hydrazine
- Paper ID
103020
- DOI
- author
- company
Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation (ILOT)
- country
Poland
- year
2025
- abstract
The use of thrusters with a continuous thrust value of 1 Newton is of great importance both for the Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) of large and medium satellites and as the main propulsion system for nano and microsatellites used, for instance, for orbit altitude adjustments or deorbiting. Thrusters employed in prior applications have predominantly utilized hydrazine as a propellant. Owing to its highly toxic nature, hydrazine mandates stringent handling protocols during ground operations, thereby substantially elevating operational costs. Furthermore, the financial outlay associated with the production of hydrazine has experienced a marked increase in recent years. This propellant has been added to the list of substances classified as hazardous by ECHA (European Chemicals Agency), which suggests that in the coming years, hydrazine will be subject to even stricter regulations, further increasing its cost. Therefore, many alternative propellants are being explored, such as LMP-103S, AF-M315E, or hydrogen peroxide, which has been used in the past. Both LMP-103S and AF-M315E offer significantly higher performance than hydrazine. However, the cost of manufacturing thrusters using these propellants is substantial due to the high decomposition temperatures of these substances, requiring high-temperature-resistant materials for combustion chambers and catalysts, such as rhenium. Additionally, these propellants require heaters to preheat the catalyst to enable proper decomposition. In the case of LMP-103S, preheating is necessary for its decomposition. A third alternative is hydrogen peroxide, which, at high concentrations, despite having a lower specific impulse than hydrazine, is attractive due to its higher density. This results in a higher impulse per unit volume compared to hydrazine. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide does not require a heater, and its decomposition temperature remains below 1000 degrees of Celsius, allowing the use of widely available materials such as stainless steel. The Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation has undertaken the development of a 1-Newton thruster powered by high-purity hydrogen peroxide (98\%+). The thruster allows for cold starts (it does not require a heater) while also enabling a high throughput. Additionally, density impulse tests have demonstrated a higher impulse than hydrazine. The thruster supports both pulsed operation and long-duration firings. A qualification campaign has been conducted to confirm its suitability for space applications.