Phase Four, under a $14.9 million contract, will provide the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency with an “air-breathing” electric propulsion system in support of DARPA’s Otter program.
The company said Thursday the agency’s initiative is focused on the development, demonstration and gathering of on-orbit data for EP technologies capable of using ambient low-density air as propellant.
The Phase Four system is envisioned to power extended satellite operations at Very Low Earth Orbit altitudes of as low as 90 to 450 km, while the Otter program is intended to wrap up with a demonstration of a long duration “orbiting wind tunnel” spaceflight to test the system’s orbital performance.
“Phase Four has designed and built electric propulsion systems that have been launched on 9 satellites with over 5,300 days of on-orbit flight heritage since the company was founded,” emphasized Umair Siddiqui, Phase Four president, chief technology officer and principal investigator for the effort. He also pointed to the company’s continued work of supporting DARPA’s in-space propulsion efforts.
The Otter program will use the Phase Four-built radio frequency thruster, building upon earlier prototype development work between the two organizations.