ECAPS, founded by Volvo Aero and the Swedish Space Corporation, has been awarded a contract by the Swedish National Space Board, SNSB, to start to develop an environmentally benign Reaction Control System for a Swedish satellite, aimed at demonstration of new technology.
The contract is a continuation of the successful research and development program in the field of environmentally benign propellants and corresponding propulsion systems performed by ECAPS under earlier contracts from the SNSB and the European Space Agency, ESA. Under these contracts ECAPS has developed a high performance ADN-based monopropellant fuel and a corresponding 1 N rocket engine. These efforts have put ECAPS in a leading position in the field of environmentally benign propulsion, often referred to as “Green Propulsion”.
This is the first ECAPS contract for a propulsion system for operation on a satellite. The benefits for the satellite manufacturer are higher performance and lower cost achieved by simplified handling procedures due to the environmentally benign fuel. The major objective of this contract is to design a monopropellant propulsion system, which is a mission critical subsystem of the satellite Guidance and Navigation Control System. In the follow-on project phases ECAPS will build, test and flight operate the ADN-based propulsion system. Launch is scheduled for 2008.
“After this flight demonstration on a satellite we will be able to offer an environmental benign alternative to the presently widely used monopropellant propulsion systems based on Hydrazine, which are both toxic and carcinogenic” says Mr. Rolf Möllerberg, President of ECAPS.
ECAPS is a limited company formed by Swedish Space Corporation and Volvo Aero Corporation with the aim to develop, manufacture and market Reduced Hazard Propulsion Systems. Read more about ECAPS on www.ecaps.se.
For further information, please contact:
Rolf Möllerberg, President of ECAPS, tel: +46-8-627 6372
Ulf Palmnäs, Volvo Aero (ECAPS board member) tel: +46-70-5690432
