FROM PRINTER TO ORBIT: THE 0.8U CUBEDRIVE BIPROPELLANT PROPULSION SYSTEM

This paper presents the current state of the art of Dawn Aerospace’s 0.8U CubeDrive, a fully integrated green bipropellant propulsion system developed for CubeSat and microsatellite applications. Building on earlier work, the paper highlights recent design improvements and accumulated flight heritage. The 0.8U CubeDrive represents a significant advancement in miniaturised propulsion by integrating all major subsystems—including a B1 thruster, propellant tanks, feed system, and control electronics—within a volume of less than 1U. The system enables precise orbit control and extended mission lifetime, delivering up to 400 Ns of total impulse and thrust levels of up to 1 N.

The CubeDrive architecture is based on a monolithic, additively manufactured Inconel structure that combines propellant tanks and feed system into a single load-bearing element. This structure supports the valves, thruster, and printed circuit boards while also providing the external mechanical interface to the spacecraft. Integrated health-monitoring sensors and thermal control enable mission flexibility across a range of operational environments. The resulting unit requires no external tubing, can be directly bolted to the spacecraft, and interfaces through a single power and data connector, significantly simplifying integration and improving overall system reliability.

Recent development efforts have focused on reducing leak rates, improving reliability, and enhancing manufacturability, resulting in increased robustness and production efficiency suitable for serial manufacturing. The highly integrated system architecture yields clear system-level benefits, including improved volumetric efficiency and reduced integration complexity.

To date, five 0.8U CubeDrive systems are operating in orbit. Commissioning data confirm consistent start-up behaviour and stable steady-state performance across multiple spacecraft. On-orbit results validate predicted thrust and efficiency, demonstrating the system’s maturity as a flight-proven propulsion solution. These results provide a foundation for future product scaling and adaptation to a broader range of small-satellite missions.