Green Propulsion Dual Mode (GPDM) Path to Flight

A team led by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has been developing an integrated dual mode propulsion system operating on ASCENT propellant. The small spacecraft project leveraged a wide range of NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate funding opportunities to enable the mission. The Green Propulsion Dual Model project is manifested for launch in January 2026, demonstrating a single integrated propulsion system operating off a common ASCENT propellant tank for both a catalytic combustion thruster and a set of electrospray thrusters. The objective of the flight demonstration is to mitigate risks of future, larger scale, dual mode operational systems while achieving an overall system Technology Readiness Level of 7 or higher for specific applications.