A rendering of Momentus’ Vigoride orbital service vehicle. Photo: Momentus

Momentus will host an in-space crystallization demonstration for NASA and also demonstrate a new thruster on orbit under two recently announced contracts. 

Under a $5.1 million contract from NASA’s Flight Opportunities program, the company’s Vigoride orbital service vehicle will fly the Commercial Orbital System for Microgravity In-Space Crystallization (COSMIC) demonstration. COSMIC will use the microgravity environment of space to advance crystal growth for pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and advanced materials. It was designed by SpaceWorks Enterprises and Astral Materials and was selected in NASA’s Space Technology Payload Challenge. The mission will demonstrate a novel semiconductor manufacturing technology.

Separately, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center also awarded Momentus a $2.5 million contract to conduct a demonstration on-orbit of a new thruster called the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE). This thruster was developed by Juno Propulsion and was also selected in the NASA payload challenge. Momentus will provide the satellite bus and on-orbit operations on the fifth Vigoride mission. 

“We’re proud to be selected by NASA to perform this key mission to advance the development of transformative space technologies,” Momentus CEO John Rood, said of the RDRE thruster. “We are very pleased to be playing major roles on programs at the forefront of space technology.”