Accion Systems' NanoTILE miniaturized electrospray propulsion module for 1U–6U CubeSats, providing orbit maintenance, attitude control, and deorbit capability in a 0.3U form factor.
NanoTILE CubeSat Propulsion Module
Accion Systems' NanoTILE miniaturized electrospray propulsion module for 1U–6U CubeSats, providing orbit maintenance, attitude control, and deorbit capability in a 0.3U form factor.
Description
NanoTILE is Accion Systems' most miniaturized electrospray propulsion module, designed for 1U–6U CubeSats where the full TILE system's volume and mass cannot be accommodated. NanoTILE packages the ionic liquid electrospray emitter array, high-voltage power processing electronics, and propellant supply in a 0.3U form factor weighing approximately 100 g — small enough to integrate into even the smallest CubeSats that still require propulsion for orbit maintenance or deorbit compliance.
NanoTILE produces thrust in the range of 0.01–0.1 mN per module at specific impulse of 800–1,500 s, consuming 0.5–3 W of power. Like TILE, NanoTILE uses solid ionic liquid propellant chips with no pressurized tanks — critical for launch vehicle acceptance on rideshare manifests where propellant pressure is tightly regulated.
Primary NanoTILE applications are orbit maintenance against atmospheric drag for 1U–3U CubeSats at altitudes below 500 km (where drag deorbit is otherwise fast), and end-of-life deorbit within the 5-year IADC guideline required by FCC regulations. Accion sells NanoTILE to CubeSat developers in academia, government research labs, and commercial constellation operators.
Specifications
| Form factor | 0.3U, ~100 g |
|---|---|
| Target platform | 1U–6U CubeSats |
| Thrust range | 0.01–0.1 mN |
| Specific impulse | 800–1,500 s |
| Power | 0.5–3 W |
| Propellant | Solid ionic liquid chip (no pressurized gas) |
| Applications | Drag makeup, deorbit compliance (FCC 5-year rule) |