ISRO making green propellant

ISRO making green propellant

ISRO; Science and technology

News:

1. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) seeks to replace hydrazine fuel with an environmental-friendly propellant to power satellites and spacecrafts

Important Facts:

1. ISRO is working to replace hydrazine with hydroxylammonium nitrate based (HAN) monopropellant
2. Monopropellant is a chemical propulsion fuel which does not require separate oxidizer. It is used in satellite thrusters for orbital correction and orientation control
3. Advantages of using Hydrazine

• High performance characteristics:  one of the highest specific impulses (kilogram of thrust obtained by consumption of 1 kg of propellant in 1 sec). Therefore, despite hazards, has been preferred as propellant.

Disadvantages of using Hydrazine:

• Highly corrosive
• Carcinogenic and Toxic
• Storage and handling issues

1. The HAN-based monopropellant has been formulated by researchers at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC)
2. The formulation consists of HAN, ammonium nitrate, methanol and water
3. Advantages Of HAN-based Propellants over Hydrazine Propellants:

• Less toxic than hydrazine
• Performance: Higher density (1.4 to 1.5 g/cm³) than hydrazine propellants (1.0g/cm³)
• Safety: Non-combustible, hence, a safer alternative