Engineers at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (MEPhI) have completed preliminary tests of the OLGA engine, designed for small spacecraft. The unit runs on fluoroketone — a substance known in the industry as "dry water." Previously, this material was used exclusively for extinguishing fires in server rooms and archives.
The OLGA engine, which has already demonstrated its fundamental operability, has demonstrated thrust in a vacuum chamber. Certain technical issues related to the non-leakage of the working fluid are currently being resolved.
The main advantage of the new development is the abandonment of the use of gases under high pressure. The fluoroketone chosen for the OLGA engine has a vapor pressure of about half an atmosphere at room temperature. Thanks to this, the liquid tank on Earth is not under excessive pressure and does not pose a threat of explosion. At the same time, in the conditions of space vacuum, even such a low pressure is sufficient to create thrust, allowing maneuvering devices weighing several kilograms.
Fluoroketone is non-toxic, non-flammable, and safe for both people and sensitive electronics. This simplifies the procedures for admission to launch and reduces the cost of mission preparation.
The first carrier of the new propulsion system will be the "Svarog-1" spacecraft, which is currently being created at MEPhI for scientific monitoring of gamma radiation.
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