Advanced Systems & Custom Solutions
Voyager offers support for missions ranging from crewed vehicle systems to spacecraft propulsion, space operations, and more. We proudly partner with customers to develop new systems, advance and innovate existing systems, and develop the processes, controls, and operations to make your mission a success.
Power processing units are a critical element for powering big missions in space. The Advanced Solar Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) will increase spaceflight transportation fuel efficiency by 10x over current chemical propulsion technology and more than double the thrust capability compared to current electric propulsion systems. We proudly support the development and manufacturing of the Power Processing Units (PPUs). We also provide PPUs for the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) from Glenn Research Center, a system that affords larger delivered payloads, smaller launch vehicle size, and other mission enhancements.
Image Credit: NASA
We proudly support both NASA and commercial human exploration programs, ranging from crewed spacecraft systems to advanced spacesuit design, smoke detector, battery management systems, and commercial space stations. We support these missions through system design and test – such as creating mechanisms and structural parts, through data processing architectures that enable life support systems, through payload systems development for astronaut crews, and more.
Image Credit: NASA
Advancing space communications capabilities is a foundational requirement for success in any space mission. We support NASA in the development of deep-space laser communications (DSOC) which will enhance future planetary exploration missions. Voyager is developing unique power systems, signal processing, and RF/Optical power designs to support this effort. We also support activities like the NASA Glenn SCaN Center for Engineering, Networking, Integration, and Communications (SCENIC) by developing an advanced, virtualized, and integrated analysis environment for space communications architectures and systems.
Image Credit: NASA
We offer a broad range of support for mission design, including engineering (mechanical, electrical, fluids, propulsion, structure, thermal, systems, and test), flight hardware system design, development and operations, and more. We develop processes, instrumentation, controls, provide structural dynamic research, and lead mission operations. We’ve supported advanced missions like the thermal control design for NASA’s Perseverance Rover and the cryogenic applications for the proposed Europa Lander.
Image Credit: NASA
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser is a private spacecraft designed to send cargo and astronauts to low Earth orbit (LEO). Voyager supports Aerojet Rocketdyne and Sierra Space by providing the design, fabrication and verification of Dream Chaser’s electrical power system (EPS). The EPS is responsible for generating, distributing, and regulating electrical power to operate various systems and equipment on the rocket. It is crucial for Dream Chaser’s functioning, including control, communication, propulsion, payload operations, and other electrical subsystems.
DART was the first-ever mission dedicated to investigating and demonstrating a method of asteroid deflection by changing an asteroid’s orbit through kinetic impact. To accomplish this, in-space propulsion was used for trajectory control to steer DART towards its target for 10 months. The DART mission used a combination of chemical thrusters and the novel NEXT-C ion thruster. Voyager developed the Power Processing Unit for NEXT-C, which converts solar power into high currents required to ionize inert Xenon molecules which accelerates the spacecraft. The NEXT-C PPU is designed for deep-space missions that run on an unregulated solar bus with advantages in size, mass, power output range capability, and efficiency. Voyager is one of only two organizations that now provides a gridded ion thruster system with NASA flight heritage. This technology can be used for orbit raising and station keeping, outer planetary science missions, defense applications, and more.
NASA is developing an advanced space suit to support astronauts going to the Moon & Mars. In support of the Advanced Spacesuit Power, Avionics, and Software (PAS) program, we designed onboard data processing architectures used to monitor the life support system, record video, manage the advanced power system, and support a ‘heads up’ display in the helmet. Our systems engineering team created system requirements, planned the testing and integration of the subsystems, and oversaw the hardware buildup.
NASA’s Artemis Program is bringing humans back to the Moon – this time to stay. Orion is the spacecraft that will get our astronauts to the Moon. We support the Orion Vibro-Acoustic test Capability at NASA Glenn. We developed mechanisms and structural detailed parts for Orion, including active cooling technology development testing, which simulates the active cooling of the spacecraft electronics during re-entry. We also developed a portable fire extinguisher design that allows either foam or water mist extinguishment of spacecraft fires.