Category: Press

Originally published at Sa.catapult.org.uk

SteamJet, the first Westcott BIC incubated, is developing a safer, compact, and affordable water-based propulsion system for CubeSats and Small Satellites. The aim is to expand current mission capabilities, enabling satellites to stay in Space longer, change and optimize their orbit, avoid collisions, operate in constellations, and de-orbit at the end of their mission.

Route to Impact

SteamJet develops and produces water-based thrusters for SmallSats/CubeSats using water or other low pressure, non-toxic, non-corrosive fluid as the propellant to form thrust in a low power resistojet. The major advantages of using water as the propellant are:

•‎ When compared to high-pressure cold gas thrusters, the SteamJet propulsion system is completely safe for launch site operations or storage within the International Space Station. This reduces the overall mission risks.

•‎ The high thrust and low power consumption of SteamJet thrusters promote satellites to arrive at the final orbit sooner when compared to those using electric propulsion.

A networking event at the Catapult led to SteamJet becoming the first incubated at the Catapult’s Westcott Business Incubation Centre (BIC). From here it was possible to focus on the CubeSat challenges SteamJet were aiming to resolve:

•‎ CubeSats are launched as secondary payloads, without the possibility to optimize their final orbit.

•‎ The limited lifespan, 1-2 years, for a CubeSat deployed from the ISS (International Space Station) before it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere.

•‎ CubeSats deployed at high altitude orbits (600-700 km) could violate ESA’s 25 years re-entry international guidelines.

“The greatest value-add during our year at the Catapult’s Westcott BIC includes the introductions to key personnel within the rocket propulsion community. Strengthening our knowledge of the sector and specific technologies, which has given us access to specialist innovation support. Furthermore, the BIC team helped us to identify and successfully apply for research grants from EDRF and UKSA.”

Marco Pavan
Co-Founder & Director, SteamJet Space Systems

The Solution
The propulsion system is smaller than 1U and exploits the ‘tuna can’ volume available on CubeSat deployers. Its unique shape allows for installation outside the main CubeSat structure. This is a major benefit for the final customer because it provides more space for the payload or other subsystems within the satellite.

This compact option provides a minimum overall dimension with maximum flexibility. The solid thruster design and efficient mass exhaustion increases reliability and decreases costs yet meets all CubeSat safety requirements.

The Outcomes

•‎ Cross-technology collaboration

SteamJet has collaborated with Total Carbide who now manufactures part of the SteamJet system. To date, we have two prototypes and 3D printing underway.

• ‎Strong academic relationships

The SteamJet system, post-manufacture tolerances, are tested at The University of Southampton where we have recently commenced a SPRINT project.

•‎ Progressed a technology towards commercialization

The specialist knowledge gained whilst at the Westcott BIC has created the foundations for our first technology demonstration mission.

•‎ Application for a trademark

To protect SteamJet’s intellectual property, commenced during our year as a Westcott Incubatee.

•‎ Increased employment

As the company continues to grow, we will seek to move from the current six employees to ten within the next couple of years.

The Future

A launch service agreement with Momentus, an in-space transportation company, is underway. This will be SteamJet’s first technology demonstration mission for a reliable, compact, and available water-based propulsion system. It will be launched from a Falcon9 rocket to a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). At the moment, we have signed up for 2020 and 2021 Vigoride flights. These flights are designed to remain in Low Earth Orbit for several months depending upon the customers’ missions.

In the future, SteamJet has ambitious plans to apply its proprietary rapid water-heating technology to a wide range of space propulsion products, not just to serve small satellites, but medium and big satellites as well, introducing a New Age of Steam in Space!

Originally published at Sprint.ac.uk

Steamjet to develop a new water-based propulsion system for CubeSats and small satellites will collaborate with the University of Southampton on the SPRINT business support program to qualify the system for space missions.

Steamjet Space Systems has signed up to the national SPRINT program to access space-enabled expertise and facilities from the University of Southampton. The collaborative project with SPRINT partner, the University of Southampton will enable Steamjet to test and validate a new water-based propulsion system for CubeSats and small satellites.

The new Steamjet system uses water or any other low pressure, non-toxic and non-corrosive fluid as the propellant to create thrust in a low power resistojet. Unlike high-pressure cold gas thrusters or hazardous monopropellant systems, the Steamjet propulsion unit is safe for launch-site operations, or storage within the International Space Station, reducing the overall mission risks. The propulsion system allows small satellites and CubeSats to stay longer in space, change and optimize their orbit, operate in constellations, and de-orbit at the end of their missions.

The propulsion system also has a unique ‘tuna can’ shape factor that allows its installation outside the main CubeSat structure, providing more space for its payload or other subsystems within the satellite.

The University of Southampton capabilities that will be utilized for the Steamjet SPRINT project include:

• David Fearn Electric Propulsion Laboratory and Thermal Vacuum Test Facility
• µ-VIS High-Resolution X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT)
• Spacecraft Environmental Vibration Test Facility
• IRIDIS 5 High-Performance Computing System

The project will be funded by a grant from the £4.8 million SPRINT (SPace Research and Innovation Network for Technology) program that provides unprecedented access to university space expertise and facilities. SPRINT helps businesses through the commercial exploitation of space data and technologies.

Marco Pavan, Managing Director of Steamjet Space Systems said: “Nanosatellites (CubeSats) were initially used in a disposable way with no propulsion, mainly for technology demonstration missions. Companies and governments are now looking at them for commercial and scientific missions, however, the absence of propulsion capabilities is limiting their range of applications.

“At SteamJet we are developing a technology, sustainable and green, to propel small satellites. Our water-based propulsion system converts water to steam to produce an extremely safe and affordable system. In addition, the installation of the propulsion system outside of the nanosatellite leaves more space inside.

“To qualify our technology, we needed a series of tests to prove effective operations in space conditions and SPRINT is a very good fit for what we’re trying to achieve. SPRINT partner, the University of Southampton, with their great expertise in electric propulsion, had everything that we needed to qualify the system. The tests will allow us to qualify the system for space in simulated conditions and we’re also planning tests in space.”

Dr. Charlie Ryan, Lecturer in Astronautics at the University of Southampton added: “With space-enabled capabilities including simulations, vacuum chambers and thermal chambers, the University of Southampton offers comprehensive facilities and expertise in resistojet and electric propulsion systems.

“We can validate performances of the basic thruster design and see how it reacts to an in-orbit environment through thermocycling. This project will be the first time that we’ve used the vacuum chamber to verify a thruster and this will enable us to validate the Steamjet Space thruster as suitable for space flight, subject to ESA/NASA standards.”

Originally published at Innovationnewsnetwork.com

In an interview with Innovation News Network, Tomasz Pozniak, Chief Development Officer at SatRevolution, discusses the effect the growing satellite market will have on overcrowding in space.
SatRevolution is a Polish company that specializes in the design and production of nanosatellites. SatRevolution strives to meet the challenge of reducing costs while also promoting sustainability in space technology.

SatRevolution has recently joined forces with SteamJet Space Systems, to create an eco-friendly and cost-effective space technology that will expand current space mission capabilities.

“Commercial satellites are just a part of SatRevolution’s business activity. In 2020 we plan to launch four satellites in total, including two for commercial customers (SteamSat and SW1FT) and two as a part of the research and development projects we participate in.

“It is our pleasure to announce that we have just received a grant for carrying on with one of our primary projects called REC: Real-time Earth-observation Constellation. Based on our very own NanoBus platform and deployable optical telescope DeploScope, the constellation will enable real-time imaging of the Earth (refreshed every 30 minutes) in high-quality resolution equivalent to satellites ten times heavier, thus reducing costs significantly. We see a wide range of areas where our solution can be of use: starting with crisis management, insurance, precision farming, land survey, and smart city monitoring,” commented Pozniak.

Will there be a rise in small or nano-satellites?
“Without a doubt. As various independent sources forecast, the nano and microsatellite market (which just a year ago was worth around $1.5bn) will double its value by 2024 and will keep growing – to just over $5bn by 2027.

“Naturally, such rapid growth has its consequences. On the one hand, the satellite market will become more egalitarian, allowing not only big players but also smaller companies to have their fair share in slicing the space cake. On the other hand, launching more satellites leads to orbit congestion and may cause the rise of space debris,” answered Pozniak.

How are the private and public sectors trying to combat overcrowding in space?
Pozniak highlighted that “there are two parallel ways of dealing with orbit congestion. First is the idea of shared satellite missions, which means launching several external payloads on one satellite at the same time. You can compare it to traveling by bus instead of driving a car by yourself.

“The second way is making sure that the satellites we launch into orbit are equipped with deorbitation systems enabling controlled removal of the spacecraft from space. At SatRevolution we use both methods. In fact, one of our very own projects uses the NanoBus 3U platform to allow independent entities to place several innovative sensors or experiments on the satellite at the same time.

“As for making satellites more space eco-friendly, we cooperate with the British company SteamJet Space Systems which has developed a water-based propulsion system designed for small satellites and CubeSats. Their solution will be launched in-orbit on our commercial nanosatellite in the third quarter of 2020.”

How does the water propulsion system developed by SteamJet Space Systems work?
“These thrusters use water or any other low pressure, non-toxic and non-corrosive fluid as the propellant to form thrust in a low power resistojet. Compared to high-pressure cold gas thrusters, such a propulsion system is fully safe for launch-site operations or storage within the International Space Station, therefore, reducing overall mission risks.

“The idea behind steam thrusters is simple: a satellite is equipped with a water tank, as the water heats up it is thrown into space through a nozzle as vapor in a controlled manner. Considering the current trends in the space sector, it is a feasible option that in the future water-based propulsion engines could be refueled in the process of asteroid mining.”

What are the benefits of this technology?
“The main benefits of using a water-based propulsion system include the optimization of orbit congestion, station keeping, collision avoidance, operation in constellations and efficient deorbiting. Thanks to the system’s high thrust and low power consumption, satellites can be operative sooner, stay longer in space, and use less power than with traditional electric propulsion. The small size of the propulsion unit, whose volume is compared to a tin of tuna, also makes the satellite lighter than typical devices, which in turn contributes to a reduction of launch costs.”

 

Originally published at Technology.org

We are observing a considerable increase in the demand for satellite systems around the world. Various independent sources forecast that the nano- and microsatellite market will grow from $1.5 billion in 2019 to $3.6 billion in 2024, and will keep growing – to even slightly more than just over 5 billion by 2027.

The consequences of such growth include orbits getting crowded, and technological competition developing. At the same time, space missions have always been marked by high operating costs and a high degree of risk.

One of the solutions to this problem is the use of steam thrusters – a solution that is rapidly breaking through into the mainstream satellite market. The steam drive will expand current mission capabilities, enabling satellites to stay in the proper orbit longer.

The British company SteamJet Space Systems has developed a water-based propulsion system designed for small satellites and CubeSats, that will be demonstrated on a commercial nanosatellite of the Polish company SatRevolution. It will be launched in the third quarter of this year onboard of a Soyuz launcher.

The main benefits of using such an engine include the optimization of orbit congestion, operation in constellations, and efficient deorbiting. Thanks to the system’s high thrust and low power consumption, satellites can be operative sooner and using less power than with traditional electric propulsion. The small size of the propulsion unit, whose volume is compared to a tuna can, also makes the satellite lighter than typical devices, which in turn contributes to the reduction of the costs of launching a spacecraft.

‘Our client’s product can be safely described as eco-friendly – thanks to the possibility of deorbiting, the satellite using such a drive will not become another piece of space debris. Also, water fits in perfectly with the current global trend of non-toxic fuels. Throughout its existence, our company has been involved in innovative solutions, and that is what we are looking for in our clients,’ says Tomasz Poźniak, Chief Development Officer at SatRevolution.

With the launch of SW1FT, another commercial satellite at the turn of 2020 and 2021, SatRevolution has started implementing its vision of shared satellite missions. SW1FT uses its proprietary NanoBus 3U platform to demonstrate several external payloads at once.

Sharing satellite platforms, which can be compared to traveling by bus rather than driving a car by yourself, provides an opportunity to divide costs into several independent entities and allows you to place several innovative sensors or experiments on the satellite at the same time. The phenomenon began when the first commercial satellites were equipped with peripheral transceivers from other suppliers. By reducing costs, space is becoming more and more available to new, small businesses. Larger companies and government agencies are also eager to use such a solution, intending to test the specific functionality without involving large technical or financial resources. Both NASA and ESA increasingly enter public-commercial partnerships.

‘The nano satellite market is growing dynamically – over 2,500 launches are forecast within the next 6 years. It is also becoming more and more diverse, which reduces the advantage of major players. As SatRevolution, we support our clients comprehensively: from making space available, through mounting the load on the platform, satellite integration and fully functional and qualification tests, to arrangements for the necessary permits and campaign related to the launch of the satellite and initial support of the orbit operations,’ declares Grzegorz Zwoliński, SatRevolution’s CEO.

Moreover, SatRevolution offers its clients participation in the instrument creation process.

SatRevolution, a Polish company specializing in the design and production of nanosatellites, which was a start-up until recently, is successfully operating on the business market and selling its products. Based on the experience of Światowid, the company technology demonstrator, SatRevolution plans to launch four satellites, including two for commercial customers, in 2020. At the same time, SatRevolution strives to meet the challenge of reducing costs and being green in space. The company is working to gradually increase the volume of its satellites, thereby increasing the volume available for payloads, and is planning to launch other shared commercial satellites in 2021.

Originally published at Spacenews.com

SteamJet Space Systems is the latest customer to sign up for Momentus’ Vigoride space transportation service.

Momentus announced plans at the SmallSat Symposium here to deploy a SteamJet cubesat on its Vigoride demonstration mission scheduled to launch later this year on a Russian Soyuz rocket. SteamJet, a United Kingdom propulsion startup founded in 2017, builds water-fueled resistojet propulsion for small satellites and cubesats.

“It’s a pleasure to be working with Momentus on launch integration and using their technology for our final orbital placement,” SteamJet CEO Pavel Savin said in a statement. “Momentus has created a fantastic efficiency-to-cost ratio. We look forward to continuing the relationship with future SteamJet satellites.”

SteamJet’s 1.5-unit cubesat will be integrated into a deployer designed to fit multiple cubesats built by Innovative Solutions in Space of the Netherlands. The deployer will then be mounted on Momentus’ Vigoride transfer vehicle, Dawn Harms, Momentus chief revenue officer, said by email.

Once in orbit, SteamJet intends to demonstrate a propulsion system that uses water or another low pressure, non-toxic, non-corrosive fluid propellant to create thrust. SteamJet houses its propulsion system in a module shaped like a tuna can that attaches to the exterior of a cubesat.

“We are excited to be a part of SteamJet’s important flight heritage,” Momentus CEO Mikhail Kokorich said in a statement. “Momentus and SteamJet share the goal of expanding the current mission capabilities of smallsats, enabling satellites to stay in space longer.”

Momentus launched its first 16-unit cubesat mission in 2019. The firm plans to conduct two Vigoride missions in 2020 to demonstrate “in-orbit servicing maneuvers and payload deployment capabilities,” Harms said.

SteamJet and startup NuSpace of Singapore are the first two customers to announce rides on Momentus’ shuttle service, which includes launch arrangements and transfer from the rocket’s drop-off point to another orbit. Momentus plans to begin offering quarterly shuttles to sun-synchronous and mid-inclination in 2021, according to its website.

In total, Momentus has five customers lined up for shuttle flights in 2020 and 2021. Five more customers, including Deimos and Exolaunch, have signed up for Momentus charter flights to destinations not served by shuttle flights.

Singapore startups NuSpace and Aliena plan to send their joint NuX-1 demonstration satellite on Momentus’ Vigoride orbital transfer vehicle after it launches in early 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

NuX-1 is a mission designed to demonstrate autonomous orbit control maneuvers with Aliena’s miniature Hall-thruster and NuSpace’s attitude determination and control system. The NuX-1 triple cubesat also will house an Internet-of-Things (IoT) payload for NuSpace, which plans to establish an IoT constellation.

Momentus won a U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract to accelerate work on in-space transportation services and satellite upper stage technologies. Momentus did not reveal the value of the SBIR contract awarded through a streamlined SBIR process developed by the Air Force Research Lab and AFWERX, an Air Force organization focused on innovation.

 

Originally published at Aerospacetestinginternational.com

Steamjet Space Systems’ is to test and validate its water-based propulsion system, which is being developed for use with small satellites such as CubeSats, at the University of Southampton in the UK.

The Steamjet system uses water as a propellant to create thrust in a low power resistojet. Unlike high-pressure cold gas thrusters or hazardous monopropellant systems, the Steamjet propulsion unit is safe for launch-site operations, or storage within the International Space Station, reducing mission risk.

The propulsion system has a tuna-can shape that enables its installation on the outside of a CubeSat, providing more space for its payload or other subsystems within the satellite.

Marco Pavan, managing director of Steamjet Space Systems said, “CubeSats were initially used in a disposable way with no propulsion, mainly for technology demonstration missions. Companies and governments are now looking at them for commercial and scientific missions, however, the absence of propulsion capabilities is limiting their range of applications.

“Our water-based propulsion system converts water to steam to produce an extremely safe and affordable system. In addition, the installation of the propulsion system outside of the nanosatellite leaves more space inside.

“To qualify our technology, we needed a series of tests to prove effective operations in space conditions, and the University of Southampton, with its expertise in electric propulsion, has everything that we need to qualify the system. We’re also planning tests in space.”

The Steamjet system will be tested in the David Fearn Electric Propulsion Laboratory and Thermal Vacuum Test Facility at the University of Southampton, in the environmental vibration test facility and will be scanned using its µ-VIS High-Resolution X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) facility.

Dr. Charlie Ryan, Lecturer in Astronautics at the University of Southampton said, “With space-enabled capabilities including simulations, vacuum chambers, and thermal chambers, we offer comprehensive facilities and expertise in resistojet and electric propulsion systems.

“We can validate performances of the basic thruster design and see how it reacts to an in-orbit environment through thermocycling. This project will be the first time that we’ve used the vacuum chamber to verify a thruster and this will enable us to validate the Steamjet Space thruster as suitable for space flight, subject to ESA/NASA standards.”

The project will be funded by a grant from the £4.8 million (US$6.34 million) SPRINT (SPace Research and Innovation Network for Technology) program that provides access to academic space expertise and testing facilities. The SPRINT network is a group of UK universities that have capabilities in testing and development of space technology which is led by the University of Leicester and includes the University of Edinburgh, The Open University, University of Southampton, and the University of Surrey.

 

Originally published at Westcottvp.com

Two hi-tech Westcott based companies are working together to develop steam technology for satellites.

SteamJet Space Systems and Total Carbide will work together on producing a steam-fuelled propulsion system that will be used on small satellites including miniature CubeSats.

The companies met at the monthly Space Innovators networking event at the Westcott Space Cluster and realized their technologies had real synergy. As a result, Total Carbide, which specializes in highly durable tungsten carbide manufacturing, will support the production of SteamJet’s innovative propulsion system, believed to be the first of its kind in Europe.

Funding has come from support provided by the Westcott Incubation Centre (WBIC) which led to SteamJet receiving a £5,000 grant from the UK Space Agency.

Both firms are also part of the Westcott Space Cluster of companies and members of the Government’s SPRINT program which provides funding for innovative firms in the sector.

SteamJet Director Dr. Marco Pavan said: “We were the first company to join the Westcott Business Innovation Centre in June 2018 and it has been an ideal location as there is an ecosystem of space sector firms on the Park which has led to this collaboration.

“Total Carbide specializes in the sort of skilled, highly accurate manufacturing to deliver this type of production and we have also had business and funding support which has been really helpful.”

A prototype of the propulsion system has now been built and will be tested in space-simulated conditions in Southampton by the end of March with a patent due to be filed.

More than 3,000 CubeSats will be sent into orbit in the next five to six years driven by demand for earth observation and telecommunications. The technology will enable satellites to stay longer in space, change and optimize their orbit, avoid collisions, operate in constellations, and de-orbit.

Andreas Hohmann, Managing Director of Total Carbide, said: “It’s great to be working with another Space Cluster business at Westcott. We have worked in space and aviation sectors for years and produce components for the Rolls Royce jet engines and for Collins Aerospace, so this is an exciting addition to our client portfolio.”

With its six-strong workforce likely to expand, SteamJet will soon require larger office space and are hoping to move into the new Westcott Innovation Centre at the Park once built-in 2020.

Nigel MacKenzie, Project Manager at Westcott, said: “A big part of our message is collaboration and we are committed to building a positive ecosystem which will attract like-minded companies and individuals to develop their ideas.

“It’s great to see SteamJet and Total Carbide working together to bring this new innovation to life.”