TunaTank Thruster
SteamJet Space
Semi-external, water-based electrothermal thruster with customizable internal fuel tanks, delivering up to 50x more thrust than traditional electric propulsion for 3U-16U small satellites.
Technical specifications
- Wet Mass
- ~0.9 kg
- Specific impulse
- 172 s
- Thrust
- 5-20 mN
- Total impulse
- Up to 600 Ns
- Peak power
- <20 W
- Propellant
- Water; optional water-alcohol mixture (freezing point -30°C)
- Flight heritage
- 7 legacy systems operational in orbit
- Compliance
- NASA GSFC-STD-7000A, ESA ECSS; 100% ITAR-free; no RF interference
About
The TunaTank is a safe, high-performance electrothermal propulsion system that uses low-pressure water to deliver up to 50x more thrust than traditional electric propulsion systems. It has a semi-external design that leverages the ‘tunacan’ exclusion volume of CubeSat deployers while also enabling increased propellant storage through customizable internal fuel tanks built into the satellite structure.
TunaTank produces 5-20 mN of thrust at 172 s specific impulse for a total impulse of up to 600 Ns, drawing under 20 W of peak power. An optional water-alcohol propellant mixture extends the operating range down to -30°C freezing point for cold environments. The system has no RF interference and is 100% ITAR-free.
Designed for 3U, 6U and 12U CubeSats as well as small satellites up to 16U, TunaTank supports precision phasing and constellation deployment, active collision avoidance, orbit raising and maintenance, and responsible de-orbiting compliant with 5-year debris mitigation guidelines. It complies with NASA GSFC-STD-7000A and ESA ECSS standards and has flight heritage from 7 legacy SteamJet systems already operating in orbit.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
