CV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hy1deDIAkEkpcjZO5GXCy7QWZXOEbBq0/view?usp=sharing
Contacts:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabio-faraoni/
Cycle: XL
Curriculum: Aerospace Engineering
Title of the PhD Project:
Design, Optimization, and Ground Testing of a 200 N Thruster Operating with High-Test Peroxide and Gaseous Hydrogen for Water-Based Space Propulsion.
Supervisor:
Prof. Angelo Pasini
Abstract of the PhD project:
The transition towards sustainable space exploration necessitates "green" propulsion systems that eliminate the toxicity of traditional hydrazine by leveraging water for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and integration with human Life Support Systems. The European project Green SWaP proposes a novel architecture capable of direct in-space water conversion into High-Test Peroxide (HTP) and Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2). Unlike conventional water electrolysis propulsion systems, the adoption of liquid HTP as oxidizer offers significantly higher volumetric specific impulse and lower combustion temperatures. The primary objective of the research work is the design, simulation, and experimental characterization of a 200 N class bipropellant thruster. The methodology integrates numerical analyses of injection, combustion efficiency, and cooling, with the mechanical design, manufacturing and testing of modular prototypes. The work also includes the setup of a specialized experimental infrastructure to test the bipropellant engines at sea level and characterize their performance with high-precision thrust, temperature, pressure and propellant consumption measurements. By executing two successive design-build-test loops, these efforts aim to demonstrate the operational feasibility of HTP/GH2 technology, increasing its Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to support the next generation of water-propulsion-based space missions.
Funded by:
The European Union under the European Innovation Council grant agreement N. 101161583.
Green SWaP, Green Solar-to-propellant Water Propulsion.
Video Links:
Green SWaP Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_yyV5Oc5RU
Green SWaP Technical Scheme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmub3nYfQWg
Publications
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6517-0803
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fabio-Faraoni
Articles
Faraoni, F., Sarritzu, A., and Pasini, A., “Performance Assessment of an H2O2/H2 Bipropellant Thruster for Innovative Water-based Space Propulsion,” Proceedings of the 11th European Conference for AeroSpace Sciences (EUCASS), 2025. https://doi.org/10.13009/EUCASS2025-243.
Cambertoni, R., Dall’Osto, L., Blondel-Canepari, L., Sarritzu, A., Faraoni, F., Pasini, A., and Cervone, A., “In-Orbit
Reusable Kick-Stage Enabled by a Sustainable Space Mobility Solution Harvesting Solar Energy for Onboard Fuel Production,” Proceedings of the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), 2025.
Pasini, A., Sarritzu, A., Blondel-Canepari, L., Faraoni, F., Pineider, F., Labella, L., Samaritani, S., Gabbani, A., Naldoni, A., Giacchero, A., Centi, G., Passalacqua, R., Vannuzzi, S., Kraut, M., Navarrete Muñoz, A., Ali, S., Masucci-Templier, C., Dall’Osto, L., Cambertoni, R., and Cervone, A., “Converting Water into Performant Propellants for In-Space Propulsion: Overview of the Green SWaP project,” Proceedings of the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), 2025.
Sarritzu, A., Blondel-Canepari, L., Faraoni, F., Cambertoni, R., Dall’Osto, L., Cervone, A., and Pasini, A., “From Water & Sunlight to Thrust: New Propulsion Technologies within the Green SWaP Project,” Proceedings of the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), 2025.
Conferences
11th European Conference for AeroSpace Sciences (EUCASS 2025), Rome, Italy, 30th June – 4th July.
Workshops:
Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Hands on Machine Learning for Fluid Dynamics, Online, 2024, January 27th- January 31st