ISRO DEVELOPING GREEN PROPULSIONS

ISRO DEVELOPING GREEN PROPULSIONS

Subject: Science & tech

Context: Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have reported progress in the development of an environment-friendly propellant to power satellites and spacecraft.

Concept:

• The effort is to replace the conventional hydrazine rocket fuel, a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical, with a greener propellant for future missions
• Due to its high-performance characteristics, hydrazine has dominated the space industry as the choice of propellant for over six decades, despite its environmental and health hazards and the challenges faced in its manufacturing, storage, ground handling and transportation
• Initial tests by a research team at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) here have shown promising results in the formulation and associated tests of a propellant blend based on hydroxyl-ammonium nitrate (HAN)

Particulars of HAN

• The LPSC team has formulated the HAN-based monopropellant
• A monopropellant is a chemical propulsion fuel which does not require a separate oxidizer. It is used extensively in satellite thrusters for orbital correction and orientation control
• The in-house formulation consists of HAN, ammonium nitrate, methanol and water
• Methanol was added to reduce combustion instability, the choice of ammonium nitrate was dictated by its capacity to control the burn rate and lower the freezing point of the propellant.