SBIR-STTR Award

Phase Four has developed the next generation electric propulsion solution for small satellites. Phase Four’s Maxwell product line delivers plasma propulsion performance while eliminating high-cost, complex, and failure-prone components found in legacy electric propulsion systems such as hollow cathodes and high voltage electronics. Because Maxwell omits these pain points, a number of advantages are realized, which have immediate utility in defense missions: 1) 10x materials cost savings versus legacy electric propulsion systems, 2) Significant decrease in the size and mass of power electronics, along with increased reliability, 3) Operation on non-noble gas propellants (i.e. solid/liquid propellants), and 4) Instantaneous startup To ensure the national security space community can leverage the capabilities unlocked by Maxwell, Phase Four plans to conduct user, subject matter expert, and program manager interviews to help it select the product roadmap path that best provides utility for near-term missions.

In order to meet the increased need for on-orbit maneuvering of defense satellites, Phase Four proposes to adapt its xenon-based Maxwell propulsion system to operate on solid iodine. This adaption, termed MAX-V (short for “maximum delta-v”) will provide p