PHASE FOUR, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: J201-CSO1

PHASE FOUR, INC. — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Defense.

Amount
$49,935
Agency
Department of Defense · Air Force
Program / Phase
SBIR · Phase I
Topic
J201-CSO1
Solicitation
20.1
NAICS
Place of performance
CA
Period
2020-03-09 → 2020-06-09

Description

Phase Four has developed the next generation electric propulsion solution for small satellites. Phase Four’s Maxwell product line delivers plasma propulsion performance while eliminating high-cost, complex, and failure-prone components found in legacy electric propulsion systems such as hollow cathodes and high voltage electronics. Because Maxwell omits these pain points, a number of advantages are realized, which have immediate utility in defense missions: 1) 10x materials cost savings versus legacy electric propulsion systems, 2) Significant decrease in the size and mass of power electronics, along with increased reliability, 3) Operation on non-noble gas propellants (i.e. solid/liquid propellants), and 4) Instantaneous startup To ensure the national security space community can leverage the capabilities unlocked by Maxwell, Phase Four plans to conduct user, subject matter expert, and program manager interviews to help it select the product roadmap path that best provides utility for near-term missions.