Green Propulsion Systems (AF-M315E)

Green propulsion systems are an alternative to conventional chemical propulsion systems that use hydrazine propellants for a variety of applications, including next-generation launch vehicles and spacecraft.

Green propellants offer 50 percent higher performance over a traditional hydrazine propulsion system, due to their higher density and higher specific impulse. They also have a lower freezing point, requiring less spacecraft power to maintain temperature. Green propellants are easier to handle and, therefore, lower cost to integrate and fuel for operation.

L3Harris is the primary payload provider of a demonstration propulsion system for the Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM); green propellant was successfully demonstrated on that NASA mission.

L3Harris is leveraging lessons from the GPIM program and its additive manufacturing efforts to develop a low-cost propulsion system for CubeSats using green propellants. CubeSats today typically lack propulsion, leaving them with limited ability to maneuver or maintain orbit. L3Harris’ modular propulsion systems cover a range of propulsion module sizes from 1U to 8U offering up to 750 m/sec delta-v capability, and L3Harris is working with a number of satellite manufacturers to deliver flight CubeSat propulsion modules.