Pre-Qualification of Aluminium-Free Solid Propellant – ASPro (ESA) is a project carried by the Department of Space Technologies of the Institute of Aviation along with MESKO S.A., Institute of Industrial Organic Chemistry and ZPS Gamrat Sp. z o.o. commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA).

The growing problem of space debris, which are objects of various sizes left in orbit, motivates the search for solutions for the protection of the space environment. New guidelines and laws are being introduced all over the world to prevent the emergence of new debris.

One of the possible answers to these needs is to deorbit satellites after completing their missions.

Deorbiting means bringing the object from a low orbit in order to burn it in the atmosphere. This maneuver requires a suitable propulsion system. One of the most beneficial solutions is the use of solid rocket propulsion.

As part of the “Pre-Qualification of Aluminum-Free Solid Propellant – ASPro”  project, a solid propellant is being developed to meet the requirements for deorbit propulsion. As part of the work, apart from the development, tests and initial qualification of the propellant, the initial assumptions for the design of the engine itself are also analyzed.

Project leader: Paweł Nowakowski, Eng.
Phone: (+ 48) 22 846 00 11 ext. 321
E-mail: pawel.nowakowski[at]ilot.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
Date: 2017-2018
Funding institution: ESA
Programme: GSTP

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