SubscribeCobham’s Carleton Technologies, Inc., a business unit within Cobham’s Mission Systems Division, has been selected by NASA to develop a lightweight propellant tank for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) project managed by Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Aluminum-Lined Carbon Fiber Overwrapped Propellant Tank
Unlike conventional tanks constructed of titanium or steel, Carleton’s lightweight aluminum-lined carbon fiber overwrapped propellant tank is designed to burn up (demise) upon re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere when the GPM Core Spacecraft reaches the end of its life, making it ideal for low Earth orbit (LEO) missions. Under the terms of the contract, Carleton will design, fabricate, assemble, test, and deliver a proof-of-concept development tank, qualification 
tank, flight tank, ground support equipment and lifting hardware, as well as deliver the necessary items for process verification.
A critical component of the spacecraft, the propellant tank will contain all of the fuel used for maneuvering the GPM Core Spacecraft on orbit. The GPM mission is one of the next-generation satellite-based Earth science missions that will study global rain, snow, and ice. The GPM Core Spacecraft is the flagship of the Global Precipitation Measurement mission and is slated for launch in July 2013.
Enquiries - Life Support
Kenneth Kota, Carleton General Manager 716-662-0006
Kevin Kilgore, Business Development Manager 410-871-9966
NOTES
Cobham plc is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced aerospace and defense systems for land, sea and air platforms. The Company specializes in the provision of components, sub-systems and services that keep people safe, improve communications and enhance the capability of aerospace and defense platforms.
Cobham Life Support is a strategic business unit within the Cobham Mission Systems Division specialising in the design and manufacture of a distinctive range of life support and pneumatic control products. Subsystems and products are in service in more than 30 countries around the world serving primary markets including: Commercial Aircraft, Military Aircraft Life Support and Pneumatic Systems, Space, Guided Weapons, Marine Products, Diving Systems, and Package Testing.
