LEROS 1b Apogee Engine
ESA
The Nammo Space designed and manufactured 317 second Isp, MON/ Hydrazine dual mode apogee engine delivers a thrust of 635 N.
Nammo has supplied the LEROS 1b engine in large quantities, which have flown successfully on deep space missions and telecoms platforms. The JPL Juno mission to Jupiter used a LEROS 1b engine, which was highly praised for its faultless and predictable performance on this demanding 5.5 year mission. The LEROS 1b engine has also successfully completed interplanetary missions to Mercury and Mars.
This renowned LEROS apogee engine is the default selection for deep space and Earth orbital missions where high thrust and reliability are crucial to the mission success. The base material for the thrust chamber and expansion cone is C103 Niobium alloy, coated with R512E Disilicide for oxidation protection.
All Nammo apogee engines are hot-fire tested in the UK National Space Propulsion Test Facility at Nammo Westcott. Delivery timescales are typically 12-18 months.
Typical Application
Apogee or Main delta V engine
Typical Operational Mode
Long duration burn, with pulsing capability
Propellant
MON/Hydrazine
Thrust Range
132 lbf to 159 lbf
Thrust, nominal inlet pressure
143 lbf at nominal inlet pressure
Mixture Ratio Range
Oxidiser to Fuel
Mixture Ratio
At nominal inlet pressure
Specific Impulse
Minimum value
Total Impulse
12,965,000 Ns
Propellant Throughput
9,193 lb
Inlet Pressure Range
217.5 psi to 304.6 psi
Restarts
With the chamber temperature starting at 1,300°C [2,372°F]
Maximum Duration Single Firing
Demonstrated in qualification
Cumulative Duration
Demonstrated in qualification
Mass
9.9 lb
Operating Temperature
2,516°F Maximum
Propellant Temperature
+50°F to +95°F
Storage Temperature
-63.4°F to +149°F
Storage Life
4 years
Operational Life
19 years
Reliability
0.995
Valve Type
2 off Solenoid, Single Seat, Redundant Coil
Qualified Valve Cycles
10,500 on/off cycles
Valve Voltage
Per coil
Technology Readiness Level
TRL9
Status
Has flown on the following missions:
NAMMO UK WESTCOTT
GENERAL
- Dedicated, skilled space engineering team
- Experienced Assembly Integration and Test Team
- Cleanroom facility for space hardware
- Electron Beam Welding
- Experienced orbital and interplanetary propulsion solutions
TEST FACILITIES
- National Propulsion Test Facility, for thrusters up to 1.5kN
- High Altitude Propulsion Test Facility
- Attitude and Reaction Control Testing
- Small Thruster Test Facility
- Sea Level Test Facility
- Vibration and Resonance Testing
QUALITY
- Certified to AS9100
- Focused on customer needs
