NASA SBIR 01-1 Solicitation

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Nitrous Oxide Monopropellant Rocket (NOMR) is a new Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) thruster concept using nitrous oxide as a monopropellant. Liquid monopropellants are often used in propulsion systems where simplicity of design, restartable/control on demand, and repeatability is desired. Unfortunately, many monopropellants are toxic and dangerous, ruling them out for EMU thruster application. Thus, EMU thrusters have relied upon cold gaseous nitrogen, which offers very low specific impulse and propellant mass fraction. A NOMR, however, uses nitrous oxide, a readily available safe and storable propellant which is not toxic, has performance comparable to hydrazine, and does not decompose spontaneously like hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, Pioneer Astronautics has demonstrated a system that decomposes N2O into a breathable mix of oxygen and nitrogen. Thus, for example, an EMU propelled by a NOMR system would provide an astronaut with a large emergency backup supply of oxygen. Such a dual use system could also have great utility as the propulsion system for manned spacecraft, such as the International Space Station or the Space Shuttle, where safety is paramount and breathing gas reserves are desired. Replacing current liquid monopropellant thrusters with NOMRs would greatly reduce ground processing time and costs, while providing comparable performance.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The Nitrous Oxide Monopropellant Rocket has the potential of promoting use of liquid monopropellant rockets. Currently, the difficulty and cost in safely handling and storing conventional liquid monopropellants has hindered their use. Conversely, less toxic monopropellants tend to have limited specific impulse. The NOMR would not have these limitations. The market for NOMRs is potentially large, and goes well beyond EMU propulsion. Hydrazine is commonly used as a monopropellant in attitude control thrusters in spacecraft. Unfortunately, hydrazine is extremely toxic. NOMRs, however, use a benign monopropellant, and so much less care and expense is necessary, while still achieving similar performance. NOMRs would be much more profitable and attractive to use than current common monopropellant rockets systems, and should be able to dominate the market for liquid monopropellant propulsion systems, such as are used in attitude control of spacecraft. Currently, some 1700 satellites are planned for launch in the next 10 years, and all will need attitude control systems. These satellites and their necessary replacements thus guarantee the NOMR a large and highly lucrative commercial market. Very low cost, safe, sounding rockets could also be enabled, with many applications in the educational and amateur rocket communities.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Robert Zubrin
Pioneer Astronautics
11111 W. 8th Avenue, Unit A
Lakewood , CO   80215 - 5516

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Pioneer Astronautics
11111 W. 8th Avenue, Unit A
Lakewood , CO   80215 - 5516