New pump targets the need for power-dense, pump-fed propulsion compatible with MMH and NTO propellants at spacecraft scale
Marotta Controls Introduces BPE-35 Propellant Gear Pump, a Compact, Electrically Driven Pump for Hypergolic In-Space Propulsion
Marotta Controls, a rapidly growing aerospace and defense supplier, today announced its BPE-35 Propellant Gear Pump, an electrically driven gear pump engineered for compatibility with hypergolic propellants MMH and NTO. Developed as part of a hypergolic engine program, the pump has recently completed functional testing with MON3 and is being brought to market to support pump-fed propulsion architectures for spacecraft. With the core architecture set, Marotta is continuing to advance the product TRL in collaboration with an engine manufacturer.
“Spacecraft using storable hypergolic propellants have long relied on pressure-fed systems. It’s a proven approach, but the system architecture adds mass and volume that could otherwise go to payload or propellant margin,” said Max Wolfinger, Vice President, Space Systems at Marotta Controls. “With the BPE-35 Propellant Gear Pump handling propellant delivery, the pressurization system mass can be significantly reduced, and that recovered mass budget can go somewhere useful.”
Marotta’s BPE-35 Propellant Gear Pump is designed to better equip spacecraft designers as they design for greater demands: carry more payload, reach a higher orbit, hold more propellant margin for on-orbit maneuvering. The positive displacement pump uses an external gear design on both the fuel and oxidizer sides, driven by an electrically controlled brushless DC motor sized for integration with modern spacecraft power systems. The compact design is suitable for both MMH and NTO, which simplifies fluid management and reduces cost for the propulsion system.
The pump is a natural fit for programs where propulsion performance directly impacts mission duration or objectives. These include responsive space missions requiring rapid maneuvering, cislunar transfer vehicles, and high delta-V defense applications (e.g., those tied to the Golden Dome initiative).
"Hypergolic propulsion is the right answer for a wide range of demanding missions," Wolfinger added. "The hardware gap has been the limiting factor. We've proven the architecture works, and now we are unveiling our technology to the market as high flow bipropellant propulsion needs continue to emerge."
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