NITROUS-OXIDE PROPULSION

Safe, non-toxic propulsion for scalable missions from LEO and GEO to lunar and deep space, and a refuelable future.

THRUSTERS

Non-Toxic 'Green' Chemical Propulsion Thrusters

Dawn's bi-propellant systems use nitrous oxide (N₂O) and propane (C₃H₆) to deliver reliable thrust without the handling risk, cost, and operational complexity of traditional toxic fuels such as hydrazine.

The B1 and B20 are both flight-ready 1 N and 20 N green propulsion thrusters designed to make spacecraft operations easier, from integration on the ground to reliable performance in orbit.

The success of Dawn's B1 and B20 have lead to the current in-development sized of the B5 (5 N) and B200 (200 N), becoming available later in 2026.

Benefits of Chemical Propulsion

High thrust
Lower power
Modular
Scalable - 30 kg to 500+ kg satellites
LOOP refueling network capable

THRUSTERS

B20 Thruster - 20N

The B20 is a 20 N green chemical thruster designed for reliable, repeatable spacecraft propulsion, from ground testing through on-orbit operations. The B20 is ideal for larger orbit changes and delta-V missions of bigger 'small satellites' including Lunar and Deep space missions.

Overview:

Higher thrust — supports orbit raising, and larger manoeuvres
Integrated thruster, valves, and control electronics
Additively manufactured Inconel 718 thruster body
Health monitoring instrumentation
Standard power and data interfaces for easy to command and operate.
Operable under ambient conditions for fast ground testing

Heritage:

100+ successfully launched into orbit

B20 Specifications

Performance

Thrust, range
6.46 to 18.11 N (1.45 to 4.07 lbf)

Minimum impulse bit
Bi-prop: 0.98 N.s (0.22 lbf.s)
Cold-gas: 10 mN.s (0.02 lbf.s)

Ignition
Spark-based igniter

Pulse frequency
4 Hz

Restarts
10,000+ per thruster

Physical

Thruster dimensions
176 x 80 x 79 mm
6.93 x 3.15 x 3.11 in

Dry mass
695 g (1.53 lbm)

Nozzle expansion ratio
100:1

Valves
Normally-closed solenoid
Four per thruster (firing and isolation)

Interfaces

Mounting
3x M5 threaded holes

Operations

Control
Operable together or independently
Select your desired quantity
Pair with B1 thrusters.

Firing modes
Bi-prop & cold-gas. Switch at will. Managed by not engaging the spark-ignitor.

Cold-start capable
Yes. Highly repeatable

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Download Specifications (PDF)

THRUSTERS

B1 Thruster - 1N

Dawn's 1 N class thruster is designed for fine attitude control and small manoeuvres, particularly on CubeSats and small satellites. It is the core propulsion element in Dawn’s CubeDrive modules and can be used in clusters for full 6-axis control.

Overview:

Low thrust, precision control — ideal for pointing, station-keeping, collision avoidance
Integrated thruster, valves, and control electronics
Additively manufactured Inconel 718 thruster body
Standard power and data interfaces
Operable under ambient conditions for fast ground testing