Florida Turbine Technologies Inc. — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z9

Description

<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in">FTT proposes development of electrically driven liquid oxygen and liquid methane pumps for use in a highly configurable modular rocket engine to dramatically reduce the cost of developing and producing Nano/Micro launch propulsion stages.&nbsp; The modular engine will use an array of digitally controlled electric pump fed thruster modules which produce about 2,400 lbf-thrust each.&nbsp; Power to the modules will come from a centrally located gas-generator powered turbogenerator or a high performance battery pack. The variable speed motors used to drive the pumps could allow for elimination of propellant mixture ratio control valves, gimbals, and bellows.&nbsp; The 2,400 lbf-thrust modules can be configured to deliver almost any thrust combination desired by the propulsion stage prime, foregoing the need to design and develop an expensive purpose built engine. FTT&rsquo;s primary goal will be to substantially reduce the cost of the pump which has a direct linkage to the overall propulsion system cost.&nbsp;</p>