Fuel-Flexible Spacecraft Electric Propulsion System

Description: This is a DARPA Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Direct-to-Phase-II topic under the DoW 2026 STTR Broad Agency Announcement, focused on space technology. It seeks a fuel-flexible spacecraft electric-propulsion system that can efficiently operate on air, water, or water/carbon-dioxide or nitrogen/hydrogen mixtures at greater than 30% electrical efficiency. Applicants must demonstrate prior performance and durability evidence, while the Phase II effort integrates and qualifies the thruster, power-processing, flow-control, and bus-interface systems for later spaceflight transition.