STTR Phase I: Hyper Transfer Vehicle Concept Demonstration

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is to develop a new, non-rocket based thrust technology capable of removing debris from space. This project will provide two separate business models including hardware fabrication and testing, and active orbital debris removal services. Six Department of Defense (DoD) and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sun Synchronous Orbits (SSO)SSO spacecraft have broken up in high-value low earth orbits since 2000, and the US Space Force tracks over 550 pieces of NOAA-16 and NOAA-17 debris objects (>10cm). This technology provides solutions to help remove such problematic debris from space. The technology will be designed for beneficial use by both US Government agencies and commercial space companies. The proposed vehicle fleet production is expected to enable efficient deorbit services for removal from space. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop an innovative method for Earth orbit transfer, called a Hyper Transfer Vehicle (HTV). HTV is a non-rocket technology that solves performance limitations of in-space rocket thrusters. HTV offers reusable and economically sustainable orbital space debris removal solutions across all earth operational orbits. This proposal addresses the space debris problem not caused by operational satellites, but from non-maneuverable objects and debris in the highly populated Sun Synchronous Orbits (SSO). Historically, SSO space objects have contributed to technical, societal, and scientific advancements. The potential outcome of HTV research is a viable and reusable technology for cost-effective orbit object disposal in high value SSO with clean Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP). Instead of expelling propellant, HTV rotates a working fluid gas inside a toroidal cavity to generate a usable force. HTV torus structure draws in the gas while mounted inside an ambient pressure enclosure, which is separate from the vacuum of space. HTV generates a reactive force by employing the Conservation of Angular Momentum (CAM). CAM is preserved when HTV fluid angular momentum (H) and rotational energy (Trot) change. This project will demonstrate with experimental measurements an external force by using air as the working fluid gas, while satisfying CAM. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.