Analytical hierarchy process-based trade-off analysis of green and hybrid propulsion technologies for upper stage applications

As an emerging trend, green propulsion has been exponentially growing over decades in the space sector. This paper assesses different technologies in a trade-off study weighing their applicability to a specific class of upper stage systems currently developed by many companies and often referred to as "kick-stages" or "orbital stages." In a generic two-stage-to-orbit scenario, many launchers require a system able to go the extra mile to deliver one or multiple payloads on orbit(s). That is where the kick-stage plays a crucial role. The trade-off study reported here is based on a well-known decision-making tool, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and is divided into two parts: low-thrust class engines, such as monopropellants including pre-mixed blends usually employed for attitude and reaction control, and high-thrust engines, such as hypergolic bi-propellants combinations used for apogee maneuver. Hybrid thrusters are also considered in the analysis with a dedicated parallel trade-off. This paper is published with the permission of the authors granted to 3AF - Association Aeronautique et Astronautique de France (www.3AF.fr) organizer of the Space Propulsion International Conference.