NASA Tests Dual Mode Propulsion CubeSat Ahead of Launch
Spacecraft propulsion traditionally relies on volatile fuels and separate, bulky systems for different types of maneuvering in space. NASA is working to change that paradigm. Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, recently completed a rigorous series of environmental and physical tests on a new small satellite designed to make spaceflight safer […] The post NASA…
NASA engineers have successfully completed a series of tests on a new small satellite, called the ASCENT (Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic) Propulsion Dual Mode mission, ahead of its launch. This CubeSat, about the size of a large shoebox, aims to revolutionize space propulsion by integrating both high-thrust and low-thrust engines into a single, non-toxic fuel system.
Traditionally, spacecraft relied on separate systems for various maneuvers, consuming valuable space and weight due to multiple fuel tanks and plumbing. The ASCENT Propulsion Dual Mode mission is a collaborative effort between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Plasma Processes, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The mission will enable future spacecraft to carry more scientific instruments and launch on smaller, less expensive rockets. During testing, the spacecraft underwent leak testing, thermal vacuum testing to simulate the harsh conditions of space, and spin tests to ensure balance and stable orbit. Once completed, the mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
After reaching an orbit approximately 325 miles above Earth, the spacecraft will conduct a nine-month mission, executing short chemical and electric maneuvers to prove the dual-mode propulsion concept.
Written by urgent.news from NASA Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
