To evaluate performance of the core technology of its multi-role spacecraft Supernova, Portal Space Systems recently conducted tests on a solar thermal propulsion (STP) system at operational temperatures inside a vacuum chamber. The spacecraft company conducted these trials at its facility in Washington.
The STP features the company’s patented, 3D-printed heat exchanger (HEX) thruster which demonstrated full-power, high-temperature operation. This confirms predicted performance under flight-like conditions.
Named Flare, this HEX Thruster will enable maneuverability from LEO to MEO in a few hours, MEO to GEO in under a day, and LEO to Cislunar space in just a few days all using a single, non-cryogenic, storable monopropellant: ammonia.
“With maneuverability becoming a defining advantage in space operations, Supernova is built to give national security and commercial operators the ability to reposition, respond, and persist across orbits,” said Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems. “This propulsion system unlocks mission tactics and timelines that traditional chemical or electric systems simply can’t support.”
While solar thermal propulsion has been studied and under experimentation since the 1960s by NASA and the Air Force, it has remained for the most part a research effort. Portal is the first commercial company to bring the concept to life in a flight-representative environment by leveraging additive manufacturing, advanced materials, and a novel heat exchanger to make STP viable for real-world missions.
Unlike traditional systems built to hold position, Supernova is designed to move – supporting real-time responsiveness and persistent presence across LEO, MEO, GEO, and Cislunar orbits. With no combustion required and using a non-cryogenic propellant, Portal’s propulsion architecture also supports refuelability and an over 5-year life on orbit, giving operators greater flexibility without added complexity.
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