Firing Performance of Advanced Hydrogen Peroxide Catalytic Beds in a Monopropellant Thruster Prototype

The present paper illustrates the firing tests recently carried out at Alta S.p.A., Pisa, Italy, on advanced catalytic beds for hydrogen peroxide (HP) decomposition in a new monopropellant thruster prototype designed for easier adjustment and control of the main operational and propulsive parameters. The tests refer to the comparison between a Pt/Al2 O3 catalyst (named FC-LR-87) developed in collaboration with the Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry Department of Pisa University, Italy, and a similar commercially available space propulsion catalyst. Up to 2 kg of 87.5% HP have been decomposed by a single sample of the FC-LR-87 catalyst. Both steady state and pulsed firings have been carried out in the same reactor configuration. A fresh sample of the FC-LR-87 catalyst has also been tested at a different bed load. Both the FC-LR-87 and the commercial catalysts showed equivalent propulsive performances, with a slight advantage in favor of the FC-LR- 87 catalyst in terms of the c* and temperature efficiencies (up to 94% and 93%, respectively).