The future is electric Innovation 2 Go Webinar 25th June 2020
SUPREME: NEXT GENERATION OF PLASMA THRUSTERS FOR SPACE MISSIONS
Manuel La Rosa Betancourt Co-Founder & CEO
Marcus Collier-Wright Co-Founder & CTO
24/6/2020 2 OUTLINE
Company Background
Applied-Field Magnetoplasmadynamic Thrusters
High Temperature Superconductors
SUPREME Technology
Vison and Business Case
Roadmap and Traction
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 3 WHO WE ARE
Business Innovation Heritage THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC
• Disruptive Electric Propulsion • High Temperature Superconductors • High Power Space Missions Leadership in High-power Electric Propulsion
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 4 Background
24/6/2020 Neutron star systems 5 TEAM
MANUEL MARCUS GEORG DAVID CEO CTO MPD Technology Expert Head Of Engineering
RYAN ORLANDO NANTWIN EUDYS Communications, HR & IT Services & PMO Systems Engineer Administrative Support Marketing 24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 6 Chemical vs electric propulsion
CHEMICAL PROPULSION ELECTRIC PROPULSION
Payload: Payload: 3 tonnes 5 tonnes
Total spacecraft mass: 6 tonnes
Propellant: Propellant: 3 tonnes 1 tonne
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 7 Comparison of Propulsion technologies
CHEMICAL ELECTROSTATIC ELECTROMAGNETIC
Propellant is combusted Propellant gas is ionized, Propellant gas is ionized, and accelerated to ions are accelerated to plasma is accelerated to produce thrust. produce thrust. produce thrust.
Simple Operation High Specific Impulse High Specific Impulse Propellant Flexibility High Thrust Efficiency Throttleable Flight Heritage Flight Heritage Propellant Flexibility
Low Specific Impulse Complicated Operation Limited by conventional technologies Complicated Propellant Reliance on Xenon Control Poor Scalability Little Flight Heritage
[7]
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 8 Applied Field magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster
IC
m a jr x Bθ B Bz θ jr j r jr x Bz mc CATHODE j x B _ θ z V jθ D INSULATOR B + ANODE z
ID
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 9 60 years of MPD heritage
NASA/McDonnell Superconducting MPD 1972
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 10 100kW AF-MPD prototype: sx3 Thruster (iRS Stuttgart)
Mass of only 13kg! … But the electromagnet weighs 150kg and consumes 285kW
Source: IEPC 2017-339 24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 11 SX3 thruster – impact of magnetic field strength
• Steady Operation • Efficiency up to 62% • Thrust up to 3,6 N
Typical Operating Conditions Normal Mode Magnetic Field: 100 mT 400 mT Power: 75 kW 100 kW Current: 750 A 440 A Voltage: 100 V 230 V Mass Flow Rate: 90 mg/s 60 mg/s Thrust: 2.1 N 2.75 N
ISP: 2400 s 4665 s Efficiency: 33% 62% High Voltage Mode Source: IEPC 2017-339 24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 12 High temperature Superconductors (HTS)
TYPE 2G HTS (pressure)
Hg-Ba-Ca-Cu-O
TI-Ba-Ca-Cu-O
Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (pressure) Y-Ba-Cu-O
Liquid N2
(pressure) La-Sr-Cu-O
Nb-Al-Ge Nb3Ge La-Ba-Cu-O V3Sj Liquid H2 NbN NbC Pb Nb Nb3Sn Hg
[n] Thomas Frey, M. Kleber, H. Kinder, R. Gross Oxidation behavior of RE123 superconductors with time and place resolution. Published on August 2004 at the Technical University of Munich submitted and accepted by the Faculty of Physics on January 2005
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 13 HTS Production TAPE ARCHITECTURE
Cost efficient production
Vacuum chamber Continuous vacuum Robust process Tape locking allowing high yield
Modular
Physical vapor deposition With electron beam evaporation Implementation of industrial standards
Pay-off Proof of production: (back side) high quality tape Roll-on with in-line quality control
© Copyright THEVA Dünnschichttechnik GmbH
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 14 HTS – space applications
7 Electromagnetic 10 Shielding YBaCuO Thin Film
6 10 Rocket MRI BiSrCaCuO Tape Engine Magnets Bearings 105 SMES
) Bismuth Wire SSC Magnets 2 104 Small Payload Electromagnetic
(A/cm Thalium 103 Launch Long Wire Motor Generators (50K) 102 Cryocooler Current Leads DC Space CRITICAL CURRENT DENSITY 10 Power Transmission Lines 1
0 10-3 10-2 10-1 1 10 102 MAGNETIC FIELD (T)
[n] Denis J. Connolly, Robert R. Romanofsky, Paul Aron and Mark Stan, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN FUTURE SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAMS: (A HYDROGEN ECONOMY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY) NASA, Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Ohio 44135
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 15 Supreme technology PROPELLANT SUPPLY
POWER PROCESSING UNIT
DISCHARGE UNIT
APPLIED-FIELD MODULE
THERMAL MANAGEMENT
Magnet Mass: 4x Reduction
Magnet Power Consumption: 300x Reduction
Magnetic Field Strength: 4x Increase
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 16 Supreme technology PROPELLANT SUPPLY
POWER PROCESSING UNIT
DISCHARGE UNIT
APPLIED-FIELD MODULE
THERMAL MANAGEMENT
Technical Parameters: Power: 750W – 1MW
Isp: 2000-8000s Thrust Efficiency: 50-75% Thrust Density: 10-70 mN/kW
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 17 Subsystem requirements High Temperature Resistance Quench Protection Critical Temperature Electrical of 50K Conductivity
Low Work Anode HTS Coil Function 1.5 T Magnetic Field Strength Flux Pump Sputtering Resistance Insulate HTS coils Current (~50K) from plasma Leads discharge (~2000K) 40W Heat Removal at 50K MLI Reverse Turbo- Brayton Cycle
Thermal Management Cryogenic System Aerogels Power Draw High Temperature <800W Low Resistance Vibrations
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 18 SUPREME PERFORMANCE HIGHER ISP
GRIDDED ION THRUSTERS SUPREME
LOWER THRUST HIGHER THRUST
HALL EFFECT THRUSTERS
LOWER ISP
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 19 Competing companies
VASIMR SUPREME
AD ASTRA ROCKET USA 50 – 200 kW NEUTRON STAR SYSTEMS GERMANY 1 – 1000 kW
GRIDDED ION HALL EFFECT THRUSTERS THRUSTERS
AEROJET ROCKETDYNE USA 0.5 – 200 kW AEROJET ROCKETDYNE USA 0.5-7.5 kW BUSEK USA 0.1 – 20 kW L3HARRIS USA 0.45-4.5kW FAKEL RUSSIA 0.3 – 25 kW ARIANE GROUP GERMANY 0.5-8.5 kW SAFRAN GROUP FRANCE 0.5 – 20 kW QINETIQ UK 0.5-7.5 kW SITAEL ITALY 0.5 – 20 kW
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 20 Competitive advantages
PROPELLANT HERITAGE FLEXIBILITY THROTTLEABILITY
SIMPLE AND SCALABILITY ROBUST
24/6/2020 21 100% 70% Ar Argon Kr Krypton SUPREME OPERATING RANGE 50% 30% NH3 Ammonia CH Methane 640 4 AF-MPD SF-MPDs H2 Hydrogen
HET - EU HET – Int.
HET - LowTRL GIT 320
HET 160 Mission Scenarios Requirements Station Keeping SUPREME Orbit Raising
80 Deep Space Missions Thrust per Power in mN/kWPower per Thrust 40 Ar, Kr
20 NH3, CH4
GIT H2 10 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
Specific Impulse in s Our Vision
Small satellites & GEO Satellite Constellations Platforms
Satellite Debris Removal & Maintenance Decommissioning
Refuelling Orbit Raising
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 23 Our Vision Mars Asteroid Gateway Mining Lunar Gateway Logistics Lunar Cargo
Mars Cargo Lunar Servicing Science Crewed Exploration Mars Missions Missions
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 24 opportunity Potential Annual Revenues - Neutron Star Systems (€ millions) 600
500
400
300
200
100
0 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 2031 2033 2035 2037 2039 Small Satellites GEO Satellites Science Missions Satellite Servicing Lunar Gateway Logistics Lunar Cargo (10t+) Lunar Cargo XL (30t+) Asteroid Mining Mars Cargo (50t+) Mars Cargo XL (100t+) Mars Crewed Business case €320 Million €90 Million High €30 Million
Mars Cargo €20 Million Moon Cargo 100 – 1000 kW 160 – 600 kW
creation €10 Million Smallsat Constellation 1 kW
Value DLR Jupiter Moons 60 kW GEO Communications Potential mission cost Satellite savings when using 15 – 35 kW SUPREME Low 10 20 30 90 320 Value capturing € MILLION
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 26 Business model
Lunar Missions 50kW – 600kW
IPR Licensing Space Deep and Mars 100kW 100kW
Cyber-Physical Platform
Based
-
–
Based Based EP
50kW
- 2500 2500 kW
– Develop
SUPREME
Subsystems 1kW 1kW
Earth ApplicationsEarth Technology and -
Secure IPR
Superconductor
Spacecraft Spacecraft Subsystems
Superconductor Near
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 27 Initial Product line
20 kW Class * Extended GEO satellites * Advanced science 5 kW Class missions * Proof of concept * Satellite Servicing demonstrator 1 kW Class * Industry Standard * Uses permanent magnets * GEO Satellite platforms * Smallsats and Constellations * Hybrid propulsion systems
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 28 Company Structure NSS Germany
Company HQ
Centre of competence for Discharge Unit, Thermal Management and Propellant Control
Subsystem assembly and integration
Thruster testing & verification NSS UK Ltd. NSS Luxembourg Centre of competence for Centre of competence for Superconducting Coils, plasma simulation Cryogenics, and Power Electronics
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 29 SUPREME Technology Roadmap
1965 2019 2020 2023 2025 2030 2035 2040
Large heritage in COMMERCIALISATION Business plan and developing HTS tapes and feasibility assessment Smallsats & Constellations coils Next-Generation GEO Satellites Large heritage in In-Orbit ACCELERATOR Satellite Servicing developing high-current PROGRAM Demo hollow cathodes (5kW) Lunar & Mars cargo Large heritage in Mars crewed developing MPD thruster Engineering Model technology Industrial upscaling and market preparation TRL 1-4 TRL 4-6 TRL 7 -8 TRL 8-9
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 30 Traction -ACTIVITIES
Horizon 2020 FET-OPEN WINNER MEESST Project RUNNER-UP Audience Choice Award Start-Up Space Competition Austin, Texas, USA €3.4 million Washington D.C., USA
Top 50 ESA FINALIST Top 3 – FINALIST Autumn 2020 OHB Challenge, Innospace Masters Startups 2020 Luxembourg 24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 31 Traction - PARTNERS
“The 20kW SUPREME model would be very suitable for use as a primary thruster on a 35kW-class GEO Satellite.”
“SUPREME can take advantage of PPU technology transfer from existing systems.”
“ESA has previously funded MPD technology through grants and programs. We are happy to support any activity on MPDs.”
“If MPD’s are achieving efficiencies over 50%, then this completely changes the question for high power space propulsion.”
“This technology can offer a unique and competitive proposition for hybrid electric/chemical propulsion systems.” “We are especially interested in the potential of SUPREME technology for its application in high power electric propulsion systems”
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 32 Manuel La Rosa Betancourt Co-Founder & CEO [email protected] +49 171 5231978
Marcus Collier-Wright Co-Founder & CTO [email protected] +44 777 0 742 417
Artificial intelligence
Manufacturing Numerical Codes Processes Thruster Power Classes Orbit Situational Accelerated Plasma Response Smart Development Simulation Tools Operations & Qualification Adaptive Materials Code Logic Thruster Parameter Control
24/6/2020 Neutron Star Systems 35 Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme
AF-MPD Test Stand: Tank 8
Teststand for AF-MPD Thrusters: Thrust Balance:
Thrust Balance (Thrust Measurement): ▪ Parallelogram Balance ▪ Force Sensor and Calibration Unit Vacuum Tank 8: ▪ Thermocouples (Thruster) ▪ Pressure Measurements ▪ Thermometer (Balance, Coil) ▪ Cold Water and Power Supply Non-intrusive Diagnostics: ▪ Pyrometer ▪ Fabry-Pérot Interferometer ▪ Spectrometer
24/06/2020 Copyright: Institute of Space Systems, University of Stuttgart 36