Space drives
Engines
Single-component propellant engines and complete propulsion systems
- engines for space platforms with thrust within the range of 1 – 500 N,
- rocket attitude control systems using hydrogen peroxide as a propellant,
- drives for deorbiting of the satellites,
- advanced catalytic deposits,
- innovative and high-performance ecological rocket fuels,
- fully ecological propulsion systems for small space platforms.
Main products under development:
- 1N hydrogen peroxide engine (ESA funding),
- POLON – an ecological propulsion system for small satellite platforms (financed by the National Center for Research and Development).
Two-component liquid propellant engines
- Development of engines for two-component propellant for use in satellites and for propelling the upper stages of carrier rockets,
- Sustainable, long-term propulsion systems for exploration missions, including controlled-thrust drives for the landers,
- Cost reduction thanks to the use of additive manufacturing technologies,
- Development of power systems with electric pumps/turbines powered by HTTP,
- Ability to design and test of the engines with a thrust of up to 100 kN as part of partnerships/national cooperation,
- Ignition systems for liquid rocket engines based on the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and pyrogenic igniters based on environmentally friendly composite propellants.
Main products under development:
- Engine for two-component propellant with a thrust of 10-20 N for ecological propulsion systems (ESA financing),
- 450N Liquid Apogee Engine with exceptional performance, using green propellants (ESA funding),
- Ecological propulsion for the upper stages of carrier rockets (with the possibility of multiple firing, 5-8 kN thrust) (financed by the National Center for Research and Development)*,
- Eco-propellant engine with controlled thrust value for landers and reusable stages of the rocket (ESA funding).
* project financed by the National Center for Research and Development for state security and defense.
Hybrid rocket engines
- high-performance drive technology,
- energy efficiency thanks to the use of hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of +98%,
- experience in 3D printing of complex geometries of rocket fuel grains,
- patented fuel technology for use in hybrid engines.
Main products under development:
- hybrid rocket engine for ecological propellants with polyethylene fuel with a thrust of 4 kN, successfully used during suborbital missions, highly scalable technology.
Solid propellant rocket engines
- cost-effective rocket engines with a composite structure, tested in flight,
- high-performance rocket propellants (both composite and double base),
- solid propellant rocket motors for micro-launch-vehicles with high propellant mass ratios,
- development of small engines: for stages separation, position control, etc.,
- solid propellant gas generators, using low combustion temperature propellants that do not generate solid combustion products, which can be used to drive gas turbines.
Main products under development:
- solid propellant rocket engine for deorbitation, using high-performance propellant without the addition of aluminum (ESA funding in 4 subsequent projects) – the only European engine that meets the requirements of the “Clean Space” initiative of the European Space Agency and acceleration limits for spacecrafts,
- auxiliary engine for solid propellant with a thrust of 50 kN*,
- rocket engine for solid propellant with a thrust of 6 kN to support the launch,
- unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
* project financed by the National Center for Research and Development for state security and defense.
Rocket components
We have experience in developing subsystems for rockets and satellites. We are manufacturing components to the most demanding specifications.
Our component design portfolio:
Pyrotechnic devices
- Pyrotechnic knives
- Linear cumulative charges
- Pyro valves
- Igniters
- Servo motors
- Followers
- Mortars
Propellants
A significant achievement of the Institute is the development and commercialization of a method for obtaining hydrogen peroxide, in particular hydrogen peroxide of the HTP class, which is used in many industries.
We perform the following tasks:
- tests of the fuels for new liquid, hybrid and gel propulsion systems,
- tests of the hypergolic fuels with hydrogen peroxide,
- development of advanced small-size solid rocket propellants,
- tests of the high-performance green fuels and new-generation oxidizers,
- development of catalysts for single-component propellant applications,
- tests of the chemical compatibility of various structural materials with working fluids.
Chemical laboratory equipment includes, among others:
- Nicolet iS50 FT-IR spectrometer with integrated ATR,
- Vhx 7000 digital microscope,
- FCF 22 SHM type laboratory muffle furnace,
- AS Control vibrating screen shaker,
- PM 100 planetary ball mill,
- a stand for pour of the solid rocket propellants.
Hydrogen Peroxide
The institute has more than a decade of experience working with HTP-grade hydrogen peroxide. In 2011, scientists and engineers developed technology to produce hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of more than 98%. Concentrations as high as 99.99% are possible. The Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation holds several patents for this technology, reserving the rights for the solution in more than 20 countries around the world.
The hydrogen peroxide laboratory focuses on:
- development and optimization of modern methods of obtaining HTP,
- HTP stability tests,
- analytical tests conducted of the obtained peroxide (compliance with the MIL-PRF-16005F standard),
- cooperation with the industry to implement HTP technology.
The laboratory offers the following markings:
- analysis of trace amounts of elements and determination of trace ion content in accordance with the MIL-PRF-16005F standard: Avio 200 ICP optical emission spectrometer,
- dry residue after evaporation,
- compatibility tests,
- organic and inorganic carbon content: laboratory total organic carbon (TOC), Sievers Innovox ES analyzer,
- microscopic membrane analysis of particle size distribution.
As part of the production of space drives, we offer:
- development of applications for measurements and data recording using the LabView environment;
- design and testing of liquid, hybrid and solid propellant rocket engines with a thrust of up to 5 kN;
- designing test beds for measuring of the rocket engines operating parameters;
- design and performance analysis of the carrier rockets;
- development of numerical codes.
Scientific and research works in the field of space technologies include:
- design and testing of the rocket hybrid engines,
- design and testing of the rocket liquid propellant engines,
- design and testing of the rocket solid propellant engines,
- development of technologies for ecological propellants,
- production and testing of grains for solid propellant engines,
- design and testing of launch vehicle technology demonstrators,
- creating dedicated CFD and FEM software,
- flight dynamics analysis of the multi-stage rockets,
- internal ballistics analysis of the rocket solid propellant engines,
- optimization of combustion chambers of the rocket liquid propellant engines.