Low Cost Propulsion Development for Small Satellites at the Surrey Space Centre

The Surrey Space Centre (SSC) has led the way in demonstrating the utility of microsatellite size spacecraft for research, humanitarian, commercial, and military applications. SSC recognises that cost effective propulsion technology for small spacecraft is an enabling technology for expanding the utility of these assets and has been actively researching this field since 1993. This paper provides an overview of propulsion research and development at the Surrey Space Centre. The paper will summarise SSC goals for small spacecraft propulsion technology and link them to areas of propulsion research past, present and future. A review of Surrey\u27s propulsion history to include hybrid, monopropellant, cold gas and resistojet technology is presented. Design and integration of SSC cold gas and resistojet technologies on flight spacecraft will also be covered with an emphasis on the SSC low cost approach to qualification, integration and operation of these systems. These topics will be followed by a discussion of areas that are currently being investigated for near term research, specifically, H202 long term storage, expulsion, catalysis, Green monopropellant and hybrid technology utilising both N20 and H202. One topic covered in detail is a novel alternative geometry hybrid rocket motor. This motor is currently under development to provide a low-cost, intrinsically-safe and easy to integrate orbital upper-stage for small spacecraft. A prototype motor has been constructed and test results are presented