Masten Space Systems

Overview

Masten Space Systems is a Mojave, California based rocket company that is currently developing a line of reusable VTVL spacecraft, and related rocket propulsion hardware.

Masten Space Systems competed in the NASA and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge X Prize in 2009, winning the level one second prize of $150,000 and the level two first prize of $1,000,000. On November 2, 2009 it was announced that Masten Space Systems had won first place in the level two category, with Armadillo Aerospace coming in second.

Xombie

Masten's Xombie (model XA-0.1B) won the US$150,000 second prize in the Level One competition of the Lunar Lander Challenge on October 7, 2009 with an average landing accuracy of 16 centimetres (6.3 in).

The primary goal of these two airframes was to demonstrate stable, controlled flight using a GN&C system developed in-house at Masten. XA-0.1B originally featured four engines with 1,000 pounds-force (4 kN) thrust, but was converted in Spring 2009 to be powered by one engine of 750 pounds-force (3 kN) thrust. By October 2009, the regeneratively cooled isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen rocket engine was running at around 900 pounds-force (4 kN).

XA-0.1B, nicknamed "Xombie", first flew free of tether September 19, 2009 and qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge Level One second prize of $150,000 on October 7, 2009.

In October 2016, NASA reported using Xombie to test the Landing Vision System (LVS), as part of the Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed (ADAPT) experimental technologies, for the Mars 2020 mission landing.

Xoie

Masten's Xoie (model XA-0.1E) won the US$1,000,000 Level Two prize of the Lunar Lander Challenge on October 30, 2009. They beat Armadillo Aerospace by just a bit more than 24 inches (610 mm) of total landing accuracy, with an average accuracy of about 7.5 inches (190 mm) on the two landings in the round-trip competition flight.

Xoie has an aluminum frame and features a version of Masten's 750 pounds-force (3 kN) thrust engine that produces around 1,000 pounds-force (4 kN) of thrust. "Xoie", as the craft is nicknamed, qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge level two on October 30, 2009.

Xaero

The Xaero reusable launch vehicle is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL) unmanned rocket which is being developed by Masten in 2010–2011. It has been proposed to NASA as a potential suborbital reusable launch vehicle (sRLV) for carrying research payloads under NASA's Flight Opportunities Program (initially known as the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research/CRuSR program), projecting 30 km (19 mi) altitude in initial flights of five to six minutes duration, while carrying a 10 kg (22 lb) research payload. It is propelled by the 1,150 pounds-force (5.1 kN) Cyclops-AL-3 rocket engine burning isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen.

The first Xaero test vehicle flew 110 test flights before being destroyed in its 111th flight. During the record-setting flight on Sep 11, 2012, an engine valve stuck open during descent, was sensed by the control system. As designed, the flight termination system was triggered, destroying the vehicle before it could create a range safety problem. The final test flight was intended to test the vehicle at higher wind loads and altitudes, flying to an altitude of one kilometer while testing the flight controls at higher ascent and descent velocities before returning to a precise landing point. The ascent and initial portion of the descent was nominal, prior to the stuck throttle valve which resulted in termination of the flight prior to the planned precision landing.

Xaero-B

A follow up to Xaero with the ability to reach 6 km (3.7 mi) altitude with engine on throughout. Xaero-B is between 15 and 16 feet tall where Xaero was 12 feet tall. Xaero-B is proceeding through hot-fire testing. It will be used for the bulk of research flights up to initial altitudes between 20 km to 30 km.

Xodiac

The Xodiac, a new VTVL rocket, was introduced in 2016. It features pressure-fed LOx/IPA propellant, and a regeneratively cooled engine.

Xeus

Xeus (pronounced Zeus) is a vertical-landing, vertical-takeoff lunar lander demonstrator. Xeus consists of a Centaur upper stage (from United Launch Alliance) with RL-10 main engine to which four Katana vertical thrusters have been added. Production Xeus are estimated to be able to land on the Moon with up to 14 tonnes (revised to 10 tonnes) payload when using the expendable version or 5 tonnes payload when using the reusable version.

The damaged Centaur on the demonstrator Xeus limits it to Earth flights. The production versions would have to be manufacturing fault free and certified for space operations. Man rating may also be needed. United Launch Alliance, supplier of the Centaur, refer to Xeus as an abbreviation for eXperimental Enhanced Upper Stage. Further details of the proposed design are given in the paper "Experimental Enhanced Upper Stage (XEUS): An affordable large lander system."

Each of the Katanas used on a Xeus lander are likely to produce 3,500 pounds-force (16 kN) when performing a horizontal touchdown. In December 2012, Masten demonstrated their all-aluminum 2,800 pounds-force (12 kN) regeneratively-cooled engine, the KA6A.

The talk in this video announced the Xeus also shows NASA's Space Exploration Vehicle rover with its two astronauts as a possible payload for the XEUS.

On April 30, 2014 NASA announced that Masten Space Systems Inc. was one of the three companies selected for the Lunar CATALYST initiative. NASA signed an unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) with Masten in September 2014. The SAA lasts until August 2017, has 22 milestone and calls for "End-to-end demonstration of hardware and software that enables a commercial lander on the Moon."

As of December 2015 United Launch Alliance (ULA) is planning to upgrade the XEUS's main body from a Centaur Upper Stage to the Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES) which they are currently developing, significantly increasing the payload.

XL-1

The XL-1 is a small cargo lunar lander that Masten is developing as part of the Lunar CATALYST program.

On October 11, 2016 Masten Space Tweeted a video showing the test firing of its new bi-propellant combination, internally called MXP-351. An existing engine with an experimental injector was used for the test. Development of their 3D printed regen lunar engine that will use MXP-351 to land on the Moon continues.

XS-1

Masten has been awarded a US$3 million contract from DARPA to develop the XS-1 experimental spaceplane.

Other products and services

In addition to its line of vehicles, Masten Space Systems is currently offering its internally developed igniters and engines commercially to interested and qualified parties. Masten also has stated its intent at multiple conferences to participate in technology maturation and proof of concept projects.

Broadsword

Broadsword is a 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN) methane/liquid oxygen rocket engine Masten Space Systems is developing for the US government. Advanced manufacturing techniques will permit the engine to be used to provide a lower-cost reusable launch service for the growing CubeSat and smallsat launch market.

Cutlass

Cutlass is a 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN) methane/liquid oxygen rocket engine Masten Space Systems is developing for the US government. It will be built using aluminium alloy via additive manufacturing techniques. Being both reusable and restartable, it would permit astronauts and cargo to land on and takeoff from planets like Mars.

Katana

Katana class engines produce up to 4,000 pounds-force (18 kN) of thrust and are regeneratively cooled. They are designed for indefinite runtime and good throttle response. A video of the Katana KA6A Regen 2,800 lbf shakedown test.

MXP-351

MXP-351 is Masten Space's internal name for a self igniting bipropellant combination it invented to fuel its small lunar landers. Unlike the traditional NTO/MMH bipropellant the two propellant chemicals in MXP-351 are safer to handle because they are none toxic. The hypergolic combination has an ISP of 322 seconds. The storage life of MXP-351 before use is undergoing long term studies but is expected to be a few years.

Safety. Masten Space use the same precautions as for handling HTP (High-Test Peroxide), including splash protection, plus the addition of a simple chemical respirator when handling MXP-351.