TALOS Thrusters Used for Peregrine Mission
TALOS Thrusters Used for Peregrine Mission
MON-25 Cold Propellant Thrusters Used in Space, an Industry-First
Attitude control and axial thrusters developed by Frontier Aerospace were used during Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission, the company has revealed.
"Collaborating seamlessly, NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Purdue's Zucrow Labs, and Astrobotic have demonstrated dedication, technical expertise, and shared commitment to our organization."
Jim McKinnon, Frontier Aerospace
Frontier Aerospace provided a complete flight set of Thruster Advancement for Low-Temperature Operations in Space (TALOS) attitude control and axial thrusters for the Peregrine Lunar Lander. Twelve 10-lbf thrusters provided attitude control, and five 150-lbf thrusters were designed to provide entry, descent, and landing control.
"We want to extend our gratitude to our invaluable partners who played instrumental roles in the development and success of our next-generation propulsion technology. Collaborating seamlessly, NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Purdue's Zucrow Labs, and Astrobotic have demonstrated dedication, technical expertise, and shared commitment to our organization as we push the boundaries of innovation," said Jim McKinnon, president of Frontier Aerospace. "Their contributions have accelerated the realization of this technology and strengthened the collaborative spirit that defines space exploration. We sincerely thank these esteemed partners for shaping our journey."
This achievement is pivotal in the company's commitment to advancing cost-effective space propulsion. The mission marked the first time cold propellant engines, using MON-25, were used for an exploration mission. Specifically optimized for high performance with MON-25, the engines provide low propellant freezing points, reducing power and thermal control requirements.
"Congratulations to NASA and Astrobotic for their groundbreaking achievements,” McKinnon said. “The data collected will benefit future missions. We remain dedicated to providing propulsion products that will continue playing a pivotal role in supporting future missions, and we look forward to supporting Astroboitc's next NASA CLPS mission, Griffin, with five 700-lbf main engines."
TALOS thrusters were developed as part of the Game Changing Development Program, administered by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, which aimed to develop next-generation small rocket engines to help reduce the cost of NASA and commercial spacecraft.