NASA Tests New Breed of Propulsion Engine and System in Support ofthe Vision for Space Exploration (Forwarded)

Kim Newton
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. January 31, 2006
(Phone: 256-544-0034)

Kelly Humpheries
Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
(Phone: 281-244-5050)

News release: 06-010

NASA Tests New Breed of Propulsion Engine and System in Support of the
Vision for Space Exploration

NASA engineers have successfully tested a new breed of reaction control
engine and propulsion system. Aimed at furthering NASA's space exploration
goals, the tests helped investigate the possibility of future space travel
fueled by non-toxic propellants.

The Reaction Control Engine and the Auxiliary Propulsion System Test Bed
were tested in January at NASA's White Sands Test Facility near Las
Cruces, N.M. The engine, a prototype thruster used for maneuvering a
vehicle in space, was designed and developed by Aerojet of Sacramento,
Calif., in cooperation with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Ala., and Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The Reaction Control Engine is unique in its use of non-toxic propellants
-- liquid oxygen and ethanol, or alcohol made out of corn. Environmentally
friendly, inexpensive and easily vaporized, the propellants have the
potential to create a safer work environment for ground operators, lower
costs and increase efficiency. Other significant potential benefits
include lower maintenance and quicker turn-around between missions.

The Auxiliary Propulsion System test bed simulates the tanks, propellant
feed lines and other components of an integrated spacecraft propulsion
system. The system includes integration of three Aerojet Reaction Control
Engines, plus three engine simulators.

The recent tests were performed in a vacuum chamber to simulate the space
environment.

The test bed was first tested by flowing propellants through the system
without igniting the engines, also called cold flow testing, to verify
components and subsystems. Engineers then conducted a series of hot-fire
tests on the system's three Reaction Control Engines.

The engines were tested individually to ensure each one operated properly
with the Auxiliary Propulsion System's propellant feed system and results
were similar to those obtained during Aerojet's original open-air testing.
The three engines also were tested in various combinations with each other
under differing propellant temperature and pressure conditions, similar to
operations experienced during an actual mission in space.

The series included pulse mode and steady-state testing. In pulse mode,
the engines are repeatedly fired and turned off at varying intervals.
Steady-state testing allows the engines to fire and burn continuously for
a specified period of time.

Data obtained from the engine and system tests will advance auxiliary
propulsion system design and modeling for future flight demonstrators.

NASA's Auxiliary Propulsion Project is an advanced development effort
aimed at furthering the state-of-the-art in orbital maneuvering and
reaction control systems for spacecraft propulsion, using non-toxic
propellants. The project is aimed at eliminating environmental and
toxicity hazards of some current propellant combinations, and could result
in future vehicles that consolidate system and subsystem components, such
as tanks and plumbing, thus reducing weight.

The project is led by the Marshall Center, with the Johnson Space Center
providing support for the design, fabrication and operation of the
Auxiliary Propulsion System Test Bed at White Sands, a Johnson facility.

The technologies are being developed by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission
Directorate in Washington and implemented by the Auxiliary Propulsion
Project in the Exploration and Transportation Technology Office at the
Marshall Center. The exploration office is part of Marshall's Space
Transportation Programs and Projects Office. The series of tests are aimed
at demonstrating simulated ground and flight operations to support the
Vision for Space Exploration -- to transport humans to and from the moon
and Mars.