Abstract
View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-0046.vid A novel method [1] is proposed to generate additional Δv on a spacecraft without major size, weight or power (SWaP) increases. The key is mass re-purposing. On-board spacecraft mass can be repurposed and used as fuel, extending a mission by several km/s of Δv, depending on the materials and propulsion system. Future spacecraft can be manufactured with the intent to convert a portion of the structural mass to fuel. The pathfinder concept assumes the spacecraft-to-launch-vehicle adapter ring remains mated to the satellite after booster separation and is de-alloyed to produce gas phase zinc. This is then supplied through a separate flow manifold to a Hall thruster propulsion system. Two propellant embedding concepts are explored, and their mission extension capabilities are analyzed. First, the vaporphase de-alloying of