Aerojet Rocketdyne has handed over a propulsion subsystem to Ball Aerospace & Technologies for integration with NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission spacecraft.
The Aerojet Rocketdyne-built subsystem has five 1-newton thruster components and a propellant tank designed to carry the AF-M315E non-toxic fuel, Ball Aerospace said Thursday.
Jim Oschmann, vice president and general manager of civil space and technology at Ball Aerospace, said the GPIM program is designed to boost payload space, extend the duration of space missions and offer additional maneuverability.
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate serves as sponsor of the GPIM program, a Ball-designed Configurable Platform 100 spacecraft bus that will be launched in 2016.