CubeSat Micropropulsion System Uses Water as Propellant

A new type of micropropulsion system for miniature satellites called CubeSats uses an innovative design of tiny nozzles that release precise bursts of water vapor to maneuver the spacecraft.
Learn more: bit.ly/cubesat-propulsion
FEMTA micropropulsion technology is developed by Purdue University in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with funding from NASA SmallSat Technology Partnership grant NNX15AW40A.
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Music: "Discovery Harbor" by Blue Dot Sessions via freemusicarchive.org
Purdue Engineering: engineering.purdue.edu/
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Purdue's College of Engineering is among the largest in the United States and includes 13 academic programs, all with high rankings. U.S. News and World Report ranks Purdue's College of Engineering in the Top 10 nationwide: no. 8 for graduate programs and no. 9 for undergraduate programs.

[@albertopajuelomontes2066]

It has a raspberry pi as the computer!!!

[@anotherdave5107]

Great! Cubesats that just uplink/downlink are getting old after everyone else has already done it. Using them to explore new tech and then doing uplink/downlink is a better use of space (imho).

[@kaurkangur8746]

Very interesting.

[@CalvinGeorgeSisyphus]

Bravo.

[@setha6096]

What is the isp?

[@luarbiasawaras8700]

Interisting

[@bkstyles5769]

hello there, congrats how long it could generate thrust, before refueling it with water? Thank Bk

[@lucasimark7992]

Why would you leave the ports on the RPI? It‘s not like someone could use them...

[@nightrous3026]

What about reaction wheels? They are rcs systems that require no propellant

[@cixcell7735]

i was thinking magnetorquers

[@titter3648]

They can become "saturated".

[@paullangford8179]

Like using inkjet cartridges.

[@drspastic]

exactly, wouldnt be surprised if they actually used off the shelf printheads

[@albertopajuelomontes2066]

what isp doest it have?

[@rutvikmehenge8357]

80

[@entertastic3510]

how do you melt the block of ice before turning on the thruster?

[@_aullik]

what block of ice?

[@drspastic]

very good point. maybe the reservoir is heated by the sun, therefore only operating outside earths shadow