Chemical propellant storage and supply systems and methods for use on spacecraft are provided. The systems and methods include a fluid pump for moving chemical propellant within the system at selected pressures. This can include operating the fluid pump to supply propellant to a thruster system at a selected pressure. A fuel tank can be refilled by connecting a propellant resupply source to the system, and operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the propellant resupply source to the fuel tank. In a system with multiple fuel tanks, the fluid pump can be operated to move propellant from a donor fuel tank to a recipient fuel tank. The chemical propellant can be stored in one or more fuel tanks at a relatively low pressure. In addition, the chemical propellant is not pressurized by a gaseous pressurant while it is stored in the fuel tank.
ACTIVE ON ORBIT FLUID PROPELLANT MANAGEMENT AND REFUELING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
2022-11-10
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
Active on orbit fluid propellant management and refueling systems and methods
European Patent Office | 2024
|Technology of In-Orbit Propellant Refueling of China Space Station
Springer Verlag | 2024
|On orbit fluid propellant dispensing systems and methods
European Patent Office | 2022
|