The USAF Electric Propulsion Research Program (Postprint)

An overview of the current electric propulsion research and development efforts within the United States Air Force is presented. The Air Force supports electric propulsion primarily through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the AFOSR Eu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Spanjers, Gregory G, Birkan, Mitat, Lawrence, Timothy J
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration and Management
AEROSPACE SYSTEMS
AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE FACILITIES
AIR FORCE RESEARCH
Electric and Ion Propulsion
ELECTRIC PROPULSION
ENGINEERING
EUROPE
HALL THRUSTERS
HIGH POWER
INDUSTRIES
LABORATORIES
LOW POWER
MISSION PROFILES
MONEY
POWER LEVELS
RESEARCH MANAGEMENT
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
TEST AND EVALUATION
THRUSTERS
UNITED STATES
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Summary:An overview of the current electric propulsion research and development efforts within the United States Air Force is presented. The Air Force supports electric propulsion primarily through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the AFOSR European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (EOARD). Overall direction for the programs comes from Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), with AFRL mission analysis used to define specific technological advances needed to meet the AFSPC mission priorities. AFOSR funds basic research in electric propulsion throughout the country in both academia and industry. The AFRL Propulsion Directorate conducts electric propulsion efforts in basic research, engineering development, and space flight experiments. EOARD supports research at European laboratories that will directly feed into the AFOSR and AFRL research programs. Current research programs are well grouped into three categories defined by the thruster power level. All three agencies are currently focusing their research at the low-power regime, in support of the emerging AF microsatellite missions. Emphasis on research in the mid-power range (500W to 5kW) is diminishing with the near-term conclusion of the 4.5 kW HPHS Hall thruster development program, and the high degree of commercialization in this power range. The high power regime (P3kW) is realizing increased emphasis through such programs as a collaborative AFRL research effort with industry.