Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) shares dawdled a bit Tuesday. The company, which offers satellite buses, transportation, and other in-space infrastructure services, continues to advance in-space testing of its Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (MET) and recently completed initial in-space testing of its Tape Spring Solar Array (TASSA).
The MET is the Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle’s (OSV) primary propulsion method that relies on solar power and uses water as a propellant.
The Vigoride OSV has redundant systems to improve reliability, including two MET thrusters that can be operated independently. The Vigoride OSV will typically operate using one thruster, however, having two thrusters on the spacecraft enhances reliability and if additional thrust is needed to support faster movement of satellites over substantial distances or to new orbits, firing both thrusters enables the spacecraft to travel faster and farther. Momentus successfully completed the initial on-orbit testing sequence of the MET earlier this year and then paused testing to prioritize providing hosted payload services to Caltech for its Space Solar Power Demonstration program. MET testing is now continuing with advancement into dual thruster-firings.
“We’ve been building on our MET testing from earlier this year and have now performed multiple dual thruster firings, including firings up to the full duration planned for our near-term operational use cases of a five-minute-long dual thruster firing,” said Momentus Chief Technology Officer Rob Schwarz.
MNTS shares dipped three cents to $3.23.
