Propulsion firm CU Aerospace gains flight heritage for polymer thrusters

(SpaceEnergy) CU Aerospace says two polymer-fed propulsion systems have achieved operational flight heritage aboard its DUPLEX 6U CubeSat, raising both technologies to Technology Readiness Level 8.

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate funded the US small-satellite propulsion developer to demonstrate its Fiber-fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster (FPPT) and Monofilament Vaporization Propulsion (MVP) system in orbit. DUPLEX was deployed on 2 December 2025, and both thrusters are now operating as the mission continues collecting flight data.

The 1.7U FPPT uses spooled polytetrafluoroethylene fibre as solid propellant and provides more than 29,000N·s total impulse with specific impulse above 3,500s. It requires no fluid propellant, pressure vessel or propellant valves.

The 0.9U MVP is a resistojet using spooled Delrin polymer propellant. CU Aerospace gives the system a total impulse of 265N·s and specific impulse of 63s.

Both systems target orbit changes, stationkeeping, collision avoidance and deorbiting. The newly disclosed initial flight results establish operational heritage beyond the pre-flight and launch milestones previously announced for DUPLEX.