Wednesday Seminar Series

Come hear from Caltech faculty and JPL scientists about their exciting research! Lunch will be served to the first 70 guests.

This week features Ashley Karp, Propulsion Engineer at JPL.

Technology Development for a Potential Mars Ascent Vehicle

A hybrid rocket using a wax-based fuel with Mixed Oxidizes of Nitrogen (MON) oxidizer shows great promise for a potential Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) because it has high performance, is restartable and can be stored at low temperatures. However, it is not as mature as conventional propulsion systems (e.g. solids). Therefore, a technology development program is currently underway for a MAV as part of a potential Mars Sample Return campaign. The goal of this program is to bring the hybrid propulsion system up to a technology readiness level that could enable it to be infused into a potential future MSR campaign, possibly as early as 2026. The technology development includes full scale motor testing, materials testing, thrust vector control tests, and an investigation of hypergolic additives.