[4][5][6] When compared to the present high-thrust and high-performance industry standard for orbital maneuvering systems, which for decades, have exclusively been reliant upon toxic hydrazine based propellant formulations, the "greener" hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) monopropellant offers many advantages for future satellites, including longer mission durations, additional maneuverability, increased payload space and simplified launch processing.

The Air Force licensed AF-M315E production to Digital Solid State Propulsion (DSSP) to supply the propellant to government and commercial customers.

[10] The Defense Department's Space Experiments Review board selected three payloads to be hosted aboard GPIM: Once proven in flight, the project presents AF-M315E/ASCENT propellant and compatible tanks, valves and thrusters to NASA and the commercial spaceflight industry as "a viable, effective solution for future green propellant-based mission applications".

"[5] The combined benefits of low toxicity and easy open-container handling shorten ground processing time from weeks to days, simplifying the launching of satellites.

[7] In addition to its use on lighter satellites and rockets, the fuel's exceptional volumetric storage properties is also being assessed for military uses such as missile launches.