Moon Data Relay Satellites Powered by Dawn Aerospace
Developing Microsatellite Reaction Control System
The two Venus-class microsatellite buses developed by Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT), a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, will be powered by propulsion modules provided by Dawn Aerospace. Dawn is working closely with BCT to realize a highly capable reaction control system, to give responsive and precise maneuvering capability using green propellants. These satellites will play a critical role in enabling communication to a lunar lander relaying data from Earth to the lunar surface.
"With three missions beyond LEO on the books, I can see there is a wider acceptance of nitrous propulsion as a compelling solution for demanding missions, especially in deep space.”
Stefan Powell, Dawn Aerospace
This collaboration marks the second lunar mission and third beyond LEO for Dawn Aerospace’s nitrous based green propulsion. This builds on the flight heritage of 82 thrusters on 17 satellites in low Earth orbit. "With three missions beyond LEO on the books, I can see there is a wider acceptance of nitrous propulsion as a compelling solution for demanding missions, especially in deep space” commented CEO, Stefan Powell.
It is well understood that traditional chemical propellants, such as hydrazine, require substantial thermal management to stop propellant from freezing in deep space. While this is well understood, it can drive satellite design sustainably, and is a risk should heaters fail, even if only temporarily.
Nitrous and propylene propellants have extremely low freezing points; 90°C and 185°C lower than hydrazine respectively, which has a similar freezing point to water. This means that the satellites using nitrous propulsion can be allowed to run at much lower temperatures, and without risk of propellant freezing, saving power and complexity, while maintaining high performance and low toxicity.
As part of this mission development, Dawn Aerospace has carried heavy ion testing to evaluate and qualify all system electronics for extended duration in a lunar environment. Testing was conducted at NASA's Space Radiation Laboratory, located at Brookhaven National Laboratory in June 2024.
“With this testing, we add further confidence on top of the already performed total Ionizing dose (TID) and proton testing we have done over the years.” Powell said. “This gives us full confidence that we can operate in the harsh environment of deep space, but also boosts reliability for our other 20+ customers, regardless of their mission.”
The two Venus-class microsatellites are scheduled for launch in 2026