Variety grows and performance improves in space electric propulsion

Dankanich discuss space electric propulsion. For electric propulsion in space, the year was all about the numbers: more types of systems, higher and lower power systems, longer duration tests, higher efficiencies and more on-orbit operational systems. NASA's Glenn Research Center of Ohio execut...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aerospace America 2022-12, Vol.60 (11)
Main Author: Dankanich, John W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerospace engineering
Electric power
Electric propulsion
Hall effect
Propulsion systems
Research facilities
Spacecraft
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Dankanich discuss space electric propulsion. For electric propulsion in space, the year was all about the numbers: more types of systems, higher and lower power systems, longer duration tests, higher efficiencies and more on-orbit operational systems. NASA's Glenn Research Center of Ohio executed six commercial evaluation licenses for its subkilowatt HET, or Hall Effect Thruster, system, and the Northrop Grumman team completed the critical design review in August for the NGHT-1X whose design is based on this technology. The HET component of ASTRAEUS, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Ascendant Sub-kW Transcelestial Electric Propulsion System, completed a qualification wear test in September, in which it exceeded 1.55 meganewton-second total impulse and 7,200 hours of operation.
ISSN:0740-722X