Development Status of an Integrated Vehicle Propulsion and Power System for Long-Duration Cryogenic Spaceflight

Abstract

Proposed crewed and robotic exploration activities demand that high-performance, cryogenically fueled, in-space stages perform high delta-V missions that range from days to months in duration. In 2011 ULA presented a concept for the integration of in-space tank pressurization/vent, power-generation, attitude control and vehicle propellant settling functions into a single system based on the utilization of waste hydrogen and oxygen boiloff gases in a small, simple internal combustion engine and bipropellant thrusters. This system is called Integrated Vehicle Fluids or IVF. Much has been accomplished over the past months leading to further refinements and simplification of the system architecture. Flightanalogous engine and thruster hardware has reached a high maturity and could be considered for application beyond existing cryogenic stages.