SBIR/STTR Award attributes
The advent of small launch vehicles has enabled the launch of small satellites on-demand into optimized orbits at affordable costs, leading to a rapid expansion of the small/micro satellite market.nbsp; However, these small launch vehicles are inherently limited to LEO and currently struggle to support NASArsquo;s push for lunar exploration.nbsp; ExoTerrarsquo;s Solar Electric Propulsion Upper Stage augments small launch vehicles to enable missions to GEO, Trans-Lunar Injection, Earth-Moon Lagrange Points, Lunar Near Rectilinear Halo Orbits, and Low Lunar Orbit.nbsp; When launched from Virgin Orbitrsquo;s Launcher One, it uses 8 km/s of delta-V to transfer up to 150 kg to Low Lunar Orbit, enabling low-cost lunar exploration using small satellites and landers.During the Phase I effort, ExoTerra and its partners complete a PDR level design of the upper stage by drawing from our Courier SEP micro-satellite design.nbsp; This prepares us to perform a prototype build in Phase II to raise the system to TRL 6.
