Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Space Industry and Business News .




TECH SPACE
ECAPS signs contract with Skybox for complete propulsion system
by Staff Writers
Mountain View CA (SPX) Jan 16, 2013


File image.

ECAPS has announced its first commercial flight contract in the U.S., with Skybox Imaging (Skybox), an emerging provider of timely imagery services. ECAPS will design and manufacture a complete High Performance Green Propulsion (HPGP) system for Skybox's third Earth observation satellite.

"This initial HPGP system will serve to qualify the system design for subsequent Skybox satellites," said Mathias Persson, President of ECAPS. "We are proud to partner with Skybox and look forward to supplying them with both this initial system, as well as propulsion systems for their future constellation of satellites."

ECAPS' flight-proven HPGP technology, which utilizes the Ammonium Dinitramide (ADN)-based monopropellant designated LMP-103S, is environmentally benign and significantly easier to both transport and handle than monopropellant hydrazine.

These favorable characteristics provide increased flexibility to spacecraft manufacturers whose mission concepts require the ability to launch from various sites around the world. In addition, HPGP has demonstrated higher on-orbit performance than traditional hydrazine systems.

"ECAPS' HPGP propulsion system will provide our spacecraft nearly twice the on-orbit delta-V of the more traditional monopropellant systems. This level of performance will give our constellation of small satellites significant mission flexibility, enabling us to provide higher quality, more timely data to our customers," said Jonny Dyer, Chief Engineer of Skybox.

"Early adoption of green propellants is well aligned with our innovative, environmentally responsible culture and this contract makes us the first company in the U.S. to leverage this technology.

In addition, the handling and safety advantages of the HPGP system provide us the lowest projected life cycle cost of the technologies we analyzed."The contract marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between Skybox and ECAPS to develop propulsion systems for Skybox's constellation of Earth observation satellites.

ATK, ECAPS' industrial partner in the U.S., is also a key supplier for the project, with content to include the development of propellant tanks at its Commerce, Calif., facility and the capability to assemble HPGP systems for future Skybox constellation builds at its Beltsville, Md. facility.

ATK also provides the ability to blend HPGP propellant at its facility in Elkton, Md.

.


Related Links
ECAPS
Skybox Imaging
Space Technology News - Applications and Research






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








TECH SPACE
COM DEV wins commercial contract from MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates
Cambridge, Canada (SPX) Jan 04, 2013
COM DEV International Ltd has been awarded an Authorization to Proceed (ATP) contract from MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates to work on a project to deliver Ku-band and Ka-band multiplexers, switches and microwave components. The funding release of $5.1 million is to cover the initial engineering and procurement activities. The components will be used for a communications satellite ... read more


TECH SPACE
ECAPS signs contract with Skybox for complete propulsion system

Boeing Grows Composite Manufacturing Capability in Utah

Molecular machine could hold key to more efficient manufacturing

Study reveals ordinary glass's extraordinary properties

TECH SPACE
TS Receives Funding For SNAP Deployable Satellite Systems Equipment

MUOS Waveform Will Improve Secure Communications Capabilities

DARPA selects SwRI's K-band space crosslink radio for flight development as part of System F6 Program

BAE pulls out of Australian comms tender

TECH SPACE
Roscosmos Releases Report On Proton Launch Anomaly

Russia plans replacement for Soyuz rocket

Arianespace's industry leadership will continue with 12 launcher family missions planned in 2013

Arianespace addresses The Insurance Institute of London

TECH SPACE
China promotes Beidou technology on transport vehicles

New location system could compete with GPS

Beidou's unique services attractive to Chinese companies

China eyes greater market share for its GPS rival

TECH SPACE
Airlines stand by Dreamliner after Japan groundings

Brazil's Embraer builds up orders for jets

Lockheed Martin Highlights F-35 Program Achievements for 2012

China-owned BOC Aviation says ordering 50 Airbus A320s

TECH SPACE
New biochip technology uses tiny whirlpools to corral microbes

Power spintronics: Producing AC voltages by manipulating magnetic fields

Researchers demonstrate record-setting p-type transistor

Marvell hit with billion-dollar verdict in patent case

TECH SPACE
Raytheon's Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite on the Suomi NPP satellite lauded for "truly new" weather data

NASA Prepares for Launch of Next Earth Observation Satellite

Canada Launches Final Stage of RADARSAT Project

China no longer reliant on satellite image imports

TECH SPACE
Philippine gold mine to pay huge fine for spill

Soot is number two human cause of global warming: study

New treatment could combat deadly chemical agents

Hong Kong tycoon to buy N. Zealand firm for $412 mn




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement