Reclaim 100% of your internal bus volume. Utilise the cylindrical exclusion zone of standard CubeSat deployers for full orbital control.

The SteamJet TunaCan Thruster is a space-qualified, water-based electrothermal propulsion system specifically engineered to fit within the external “tuna can” volume of CubeSat deployers. By utilising low-pressure, non-toxic water as a green propellant, it delivers a high thrust-to-power ratio (up to 20 mN at < 20 W) without sacrificing internal satellite payload space or risking RF interference.

The Zero-Internal-Footprint Solution

Standard propulsion modules consume 0.5U to 1.5U of critical rail-to-rail volume. The TunaCan architecture utilises the surplus space in the launcher’s deployment cylinder. By moving the propulsion system outside the main structure, you maximise the payload-to-volume ratio without upgrading to a larger, more expensive satellite class.

Internal Volume Occupied: 0U — 0 Units.
Mounting: Standard interface plate for 3U, 6U, and 12U frames.
Envelope: Optimised for Nanoracks and ISIS-style deployers.

SteamJet Tunacan Thruster technical specifications

SYSTEM WET MASS ~0.54 kg
SPECIFIC IMPULSE 172 s
Thrust Level 5 – 20 mN
PROPELLANT TYPE Water
TOTAL IMPULSE Up to 219 Ns
INPUT POWER < 20 W (Peak)
COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL RS 422, TTL UART

Datasheet for Steamjet TunaCan Thruster by SteamJet Space Systems, Ltd.

Datasheet