NASA TESTS IN-ORBIT REFUELLING DEVICE FOR DEEP SPACE MISSIONS

NASA has tested a cryocoupler developed by L3Harris, a device designed to enable spacecraft to refuel in orbit before embarking on deep space missions. Travis Belcher, cryocoupler project manager at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Centre in Huntsville, Alabama, stated that in-orbit cryogenic refuelling between two spacecraft has not previously been accomplished and remains one of the most challenging engineering problems in spaceflight. The device functions similarly to a petrol pump nozzle, allowing spacecraft to connect to orbiting fuel stations. According to Belcher, the couplers under development can attach and detach multiple times and operate fully automatically, eliminating the need for astronauts to conduct spacewalks to transfer propellant.

The cryocoupler must transfer extremely cold fluids, including liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, without leaking whilst maintaining temperatures hundreds of degrees below freezing. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Centre team tested L3Harris' device by running liquid nitrogen at negative 321 degrees Fahrenheit through multiple connected and disconnected configurations to gather data on how the device responds to significant temperature variations. The team also conducted operational tests simulating misaligned dockings, as the device was engineered to accommodate some degree of misalignment. Belcher stated the couplers are rigorously designed to withstand space conditions and sized for expected tank designs.

Current testing represents early-stage evaluation of the technology. Belcher indicated that future tests will be tailored to specific missions, allowing the coupler to be assessed according to those missions' particular requirements. In-orbit refuelling capability would support NASA's next generation of deep space exploration missions by enabling spacecraft to refuel in Earth orbit before travelling farther into the solar system.