URA ICE Thruster (Electrolysis Chip Thruster)
URA Thrusters
MEMS-manufactured propulsion system combining water electrolysis and hydrogen-oxygen catalytic combustion in a chip-based thruster, scalable from CubeSats to large satellites.
Technical specifications
- Model
- ICE-10
- Thrust
- 10 mN
- Specific impulse (Isp)
- 310 s
- Power
- 5 / 25-800 W
- Dimensions
- <4 U
- Wet mass
- <8.2 kg
- Propellant
- H2O
- Market entry
- 2024
- Model (ICE-50)
- 50 mN thrust, 310 s Isp, H2O propellant
- Model (ICE-200)
- 200 mN thrust, 310 s Isp, H2O propellant
- Model (ICE-1000)
- 1000 mN thrust, 310 s Isp, power 5 / 25-800 W, dimensions <70 U, wet mass <60 kg, H2O propellant, market entry 2024
About
The ICE propulsion system is a high-thrust propulsion system for satellites of all sizes. It uses water as its sole propellant, which is converted into hydrogen and oxygen via onboard electrolysis and then combusted in a MEMS-manufactured thruster chip to produce thrust. The system is presented as a modular, scalable replacement for hydrazine-based chemical propulsion, offering mass and cost savings alongside simplified, non-toxic propellant handling.
Core system components include the thruster chip, an electrolyser unit, a water propellant tank, and a propellant management system. The ICE product line spans four thrust classes, from the 10 mN ICE-10 sized for small satellites up to the 1000 mN ICE-1000 for larger platforms, all sharing the same water propellant and a common specific impulse of 310 s.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
