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Technologies for Momentum-Exchange/Electrodynamic-Reboost Tether Facilities

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NAS8-03013
Agency Tracking Number: 023920
Amount: $69,934.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2003
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
19011 36th Ave W. Suite F
Lynnwood, WA 98036
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Robert Hoyt
 Principal Investigator
 (425) 744-0400
 hoyt@tethers.com
Business Contact
 Robert P. Hoyt
Title: Business Official
Phone: (425) 744-0400
Email: hoyt@tethers.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

A modular Momentum-Exchange/Electrodynamic-Reboost (MXER) tether system can provide a fully-reusable in-space propulsion system that can provide propellantless propulsion for orbital transfer, Earth-to-Orbit launch assist, and reboost of LEO spacecraft such as the ISS. By eliminating the need to launch large quantities of transfer propellant into orbit for each payload, a MXER tether system can greatly reduce the size and cost of the launch vehicle needed for each payload, and thus it can help achieve the several-orders-of-magnitude launch cost decreases needed to enable widespread commercialization of space. MXER tether systems will require several innovations, including survivable tether structures with both high-strength and conducting materials, methods for controlling electrodynamic spin-up and reboost while maintaining dynamic stability, and an architecture that can enable capabilities to be increased and qualified in a modular, incremental manner. In the proposed effort, TUI will develop designs to address all three of these needs, and develop a concept design for a low-cost flight experiment, the ?Microsatellite Tethered Orbit Raising QUalification Experiment? (?TORQUE), which will enable flight validation of these MXER Tether technologies.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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