Neumann Space's ND-25TC is a 14 W, 1.9 kg solid-metal-propellant pulsed cathodic arc thruster for nanosatellites: 880+ Ns total impulse, 1,800–2,000 s Isp, sharing the same propellant-free-of-gas-handling architecture as the flight-proven ND-50.
ND-25TC Neumann Drive — Low-Power Nanosatellite Thruster
Neumann Space's ND-25TC is a 14 W, 1.9 kg solid-metal-propellant pulsed cathodic arc thruster for nanosatellites: 880+ Ns total impulse, 1,800–2,000 s Isp, sharing the same propellant-free-of-gas-handling architecture as the flight-proven ND-50.
Description
The ND-25TC is the lower-power nanosatellite variant in Neumann Space's Neumann Drive product family, targeting CubeSat and small nanosatellite missions that require electric propulsion within tight mass and power budgets. At 14 W maximum input power and 1.9 kg total wet mass, the ND-25TC provides a minimum of 880 Ns total impulse at the same 1,800–2,000 s specific impulse as the larger ND-50. Like all Neumann Drive variants, the ND-25TC uses a solid metal rod as propellant — eliminated gas storage tanks, pressure vessels, valves, and flow control hardware that add mass, complexity, and failure modes to conventional xenon/krypton systems. The pulsed cathodic arc discharge mechanism fires approximately 83 mHz maximum pulse frequency, eroding metal from the rod into a high-velocity plasma stream. The propellant rod design also enables long shelf life and simple integration, with no hazardous propellant loading at the launch facility. Neumann Space is an Adelaide, Australia-based company. The ND-50, ND-300, and ND-Flatypus complete the product family for higher power and larger spacecraft applications.
Specifications
| Thruster type | Centre-Triggered Pulsed Cathodic Arc Thruster (CT-PCAT) |
|---|---|
| Max input power | ~14 W |
| Total wet mass | ~1.9 kg |
| Total impulse | ≥880 Ns |
| Max pulse frequency | ~83 mHz |
| Specific impulse (Isp) | 1,800–2,000 s |
| Propellant | Solid metal rod (molybdenum standard; also Mg, Ti, V, Al, C) |
| Target platform | 3U CubeSat and nanosatellites |
| Product family | ND-25TC (this), ND-50, ND-300, ND-Flatypus |
