Space Impulse Brief:
- Agile Space sells their first LE144 thruster adding a new space destination to their list of missions they are providing propulsion for.
- This new vehicle class represents a new opportunity with beyond-LEO transportation and servicing vehicles.
- Our LE144 is a dual-mode engine operating on hydrazine and MON3 provides class-leading performance in chemical in-space propulsion.
PRESS RELEASE — November 20, 2023 — Agile Space sells their first LE144 thruster adding a new space destination to their list of missions they are providing propulsion for.
We’re excited to announce our first commercial sale of the LE144 bipropellant thruster for a deep space transportation vehicle! While we have already sold over 90 thrusters for commercial LEO and lunar lander applications, this new vehicle class represents a new opportunity with beyond-LEO transportation and servicing vehicles.
“This agreement opens new markets for us, with both commercial and government customers looking for a high performance and proven propulsion solution for transporting and servicing spacecraft beyond LEO,” said Will Francis, Chief Commercial Officer. “We’re pleased to have our propulsion system on-board this first-of-its-kind vehicle, especially given the significance of their mission.”
Our LE144 is a dual-mode engine operating on hydrazine and MON3 provides class-leading performance in chemical in-space propulsion. In addition, it has an innovative regeneratively cooled combustion chamber architecture which enables the system to be nearly undetectable by thermal imaging, which can make it advantageous for national security, rendezvous and proximity, and SDA/SSA missions. The thruster has been hot-fire tested in both modes across various operating conditions. The demonstration in monopropellant mode further expands the scope of this thruster beyond competing products in the same thrust class.
The new customer’s vehicle requires fast orbital maneuverability and our efficient, powerful chemical rocket propulsion solution fits the bill. Additionally, they applaud our additive manufacturing facilities and fully integrated and iterative hot-fire testing program saying:
“Agile’s nimble and flexible manufacturing approach coupled with past performance with lunar missions gives us the confidence we need to push the boundaries of delivering services in deep space.”
If you’d like to learn more about our high-performance propulsion devices and how we can reduce risk early on, while delivering on time and on budget, contact us at [email protected] or contact us through our contact page.
SOURCE: Agile Space
Featured image: Credit: Agile Space
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