Low-Volatility, Reduced-Toxicity Hypergolic Propellants

This Department of Defense SBIR solicitation (Topic MDA26TZ04-NV003) seeks the development and demonstration of low-volatility, reduced-toxicity hypergolic fuels for Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS) thrusters in missile defense applications. Traditional hypergolic fuels are highly toxic and volatile; this initiative aims to identify safer, cost-effective alternatives—such as ionic liquids, reaction-driven amines, or boranes—that maintain rapid ignition, responsiveness, and performance when paired with standard oxidizers. Under Phase I, contractors must demonstrate viable fuel candidates through laboratory-scale testing, achieving a vapor pressure below 5 kPa at 20°C. They must also characterize density, viscosity, thermal stability, ignition delay, specific impulse, and material compatibility. Phase II focuses on validating performance through incremental testing, culminating in sub-scale hot-fire demonstrations (<50 lbf thrust class) to achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5. This phase also requires fuel production documentation, scalability analyses, and toxicity assessments. Phase III transitions the technology into flight-qualified hardware for operational environments and explores commercial applications, such as satellite propulsion systems for constellation deployment, where safer ground handling reduces operational complexity. The Technical Point of Contact is Kurt Rogers (kurt.s.rogers@mda.mil). The project requires Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 1.