Maneuverable, solar-thermal-propulsion spacecraft delivering ~6 km/s of delta-v with on-demand taskability from LEO to cislunar space.
Supernova
Maneuverable, solar-thermal-propulsion spacecraft delivering ~6 km/s of delta-v with on-demand taskability from LEO to cislunar space.
Description
Supernova is Portal Space Systems' flagship spacecraft platform, built around Solar Thermal Propulsion (STP). Deployable, re-stowable mirror concentrators focus sunlight onto a compact thermal receiver, generating heat comparable to a compact nuclear reactor. The concentrated heat charges a thermal battery and drives Portal's proprietary HEX Thruster, a 3D-printed single-component heat exchanger/nozzle with no internal interfaces or moving parts, producing sustained thrust from a safe, storable monopropellant. The architecture gives Supernova roughly 6 km/s of total delta-v, on-standby taskability in minutes, and payload swap capability in under 24 hours, enabling repeated cross-orbit maneuvering between LEO, MEO, GEO and cislunar space over a multi-year operational life. Target missions include national security rapid response and space domain awareness, science and exploration (lunar insertion, orbital repositioning), and commercial servicing (constellation maintenance, life extension, debris mitigation).
Specifications
| Propulsion | Solar Thermal Propulsion (STP) with deployable mirror concentrators |
|---|---|
| Delta-v | ~6 km/s |
| Taskability | On-standby, taskable in minutes |
| Payload swap time | < 24 hours |
| Orbital range | LEO to cislunar space (LEO, MEO, GEO) |
| Thruster | HEX Thruster — 3D-printed single-piece heat exchanger/nozzle, no moving parts |
| Propellant | Safe, storable monopropellant |
| Operational life | Multi-year |
