Lightweight, Cost-effective Composite and Green Bipropellant System for Space Transportation Applications

Engineering novel materials and their design optimization using simulation-based tools enable the development of lightweight and sturdy thrusters. In Europe, the development of high-temperature-resistant structural materials for space transportation has gained momentum over the years. This has led to the increased usage of ceramic matrix composite over conventional metal alloys in aerospace applications. Most of the reported works focus on manufacturing cost-effective and lightweight composites, whereas the thermally stable nature of composites has not been fully explored. The Green Charter and European Green Deal promote low-emission forms of transport and emphasize developing sustainable and renewable forms of energy. The adoption of green fuels offers advantages in terms of total life cycle cost reduction, contributing to cheaper space transportation, and environmental impact reduction. Contemporary research innovations have expanded the development of ""green propellants"" for spacecraft in diverse space applications on a global level, primarily for eco-innovation and safety considerations. Studies with ammonium dinitramide, hydrazinium nitroformate with methanol, and ethanol-water are still in the nascent phase whereas H2O2 is delivering state-of-the-art performance to replace conventional hydrazine. This project aims to explore the possibility of developing a 1-100N class thruster made of thermally stable composite (carbon-ceramic) and green bipropellant (H2O2-Kerosene) system for the upper stage to reduce the overall weight, life cycle cost, and environmental impacts without compromising on the performance parameters. This will be researched through a comprehensive blend of multi-physics-based numerical modeling and analysis to generate a highly reliable design and a scale-specific experimental characterization and test rig to yield propellant formulation data corresponding to the state-of-the-art. The proposal will produce high societal, scientific, and economic impacts.""