Hydrogen storage materials for microthrusters: Basic performance analysis

The increasing market request for mini and microsatellites has led in the recent years to the development of small propulsion devices referred to as microthrusters. In the realm of microthruster different classifications have been made which help understanding the possible solutions depending on the satellite mass class and on the required thrust level. The present paper addresses thrusters for the class of microsatellites, that is that of satellites of 10–100kg mass. A novel solution is proposed for microthruster which is based on hydrogen storage by chemical bond in hydrogen rich materials. Hydrogen microthrusters are studied resorting to basic rocket science. The results allow one to get a first evaluation of the possible advantages achievable once the proposed materials will be made safely available. ► Basic evaluation of the performance of microthrusters based on hydrogen storage in hydrogen-rich solid materials. ► Payload mass fraction equivalent to or even larger than standard nitrogen thrusters. ► Propulsion system compactness is an attractive property of the hydrogen storage in hydrogen-rich solid materials. ► Ammonia borane is the most promising hydrogen-rich solid material. ► Capability of releasing hydrogen by candidate materials in short and repeatable impulses has to be verified experimentally.