NanoAvionics receives EUR 3.2 million investment

The National “Intelektas LT” grant is allocated for finalizing the development of NanoAvionics Enabling Propulsion System for Small Satellites (EPSS) and the EU Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 SME-2 will support EPSS commercialization and pilot customer engagement activities. The EPSS has already passed extensive testing programs, and will have an in-orbit demonstration in June 2017, where it will maneuver LituanicaSAT-2, which is part of the QB50 mission. It is estimated that the EPSS will prolong the orbital lifetime of LituanicaSAT-2 by the factor of four. Additionally, it can reach high levels of available thrust and burn duration, permitting small satellites to achieve orbital maneuvering ability, accurate attitude and orientation control, drag compensation, and other missions and roles in orbital flight. The EPSS makes use of a “green”, non-toxic fuel, replacing the hydrazine-based propellant used by large-scale satellite technologies, and corresponds to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Clean Space Initiative. Moreover, it is modular in design and can be integrated with small satellites up to 150kg. The EPSS has already gained attention from few major satellite manufacturing companies and there are ongoing negotiations with undisclosed pilot customers. Based on LituanicaSAT-2 experience the EPSS will be commercially available early next year.