ASCENT Takes Flight in Commercial Markets

Rubicon Space Systems, a division of Plasma Processes LLC, is working to encourage the adoption of ASCENT, a non-toxic propellant developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The company has achieved flight heritage on its 0.1N thruster and is close to completing the first low-rate production run. Rubicon has orders for one-newton and five-newton thrusters with government customers for deliveries beginning in the first quarter of 2024. The company is also developing larger propulsion systems and a new 110-newton thruster.