Compact with a Punch
The Propulsion Unit for CubeSat (PUC) is a complete, high-performance, and compact small-satellite propulsion solution. The all-welded titanium body comes fully integrated with all necessary propulsion subsystems, including microcontroller, power processing unit, Micro-Cavity Discharge (MCD) thruster, propellant valves, heaters, sensors, and software. PUC achieves its high impulse, low-volume capability by employing CUA’s patented MCD propellant heating technology, a high-density and self-pressurizing liquid propellant, and an optimized low-mass-flow nozzle. PUC is software-configurable to operate over a wide range of power, thrust, and impulse levels. System set-points, system status, and firing telemetry are all accessible and configurable through an RS422 serial interface. PUCs may be customized to meet customer specific mission requirements.
Advantages include:
- Highly compact package size as small as 0.35U
- Low power requirement of 15 W
- Well-suited for 3U CubeSats w/ low available volume
Propellant Options: SO2 (still requires range safety approval), Ar, Kr, Xe
Status: Available as 0.35U single fault tolerant unit w/ ~15-month lead time
Variations: Alternate form factors available w/ additional cost and lead time
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