A solid oxide fuel cell stack designed and assembled for the Bipropellant Enabled Electrical Power Supply (BEEPS) effort by AFRL collaborator OxEon Energy that is capable of providing stable electric power by consuming a steady flow of bipropellant. Photo: AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is developing a “green energy” technology designed to allow thruster equipped spacecraft to convert chemical energy in its bipropellant into electrical power. The technology is being developed by the Space Vehicles Directorate through a three-year Seedlings for Disruptive Capabilities Program effort which has been underway for 18 months. AFRL highlighted the tech in an announcement tied to Earth Day. 

The technology is called BEEPS — Bipropellant Enabled Electrical Power Supply. Program Manager Dr. Thomas Peng said the AFRL wants to improve the power generated from carbon-free fuels to offer high performance power without fossil fuels. 

“The solid oxide fuel cells created by this effort will enable bipropellant thruster-equipped spacecraft to convert chemical energy in its bipropellant, into on-demand electrical power,” said Dr. Thomas Peng, program manager for BEEPS. “Such technology would allow spacecraft operators to tap stowed bipropellant to get a boost of electrical power or act as an auxiliary power supply if needed.”

One application for this fuel cell and electrolysis technology would be to store energy collected when wind or solar power is available, which could then be used when those power sources are unavailable.