Ion Engine and Hall Thruster Development at the NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA’s Glenn Research Center has been selected to lead development of NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) system. The central feature of the NEXT system is an electric propulsion thruster (EPT) that inherits the knowledge gained through the NSTAR thruster that successfully propelled Deep Space 1 to asteroid Braille and comet Borrelly, while significantly increasing the thruster power level and making improvements in performance parameters associated with NSTAR. The EPT concept under development has a 40 cm beam diameter, twice the effective area of the Deep-Space 1 thruster, while maintaining a relatively-small volume. It incorporates mechanical features and operating conditions to maximize the design heritage established by the flight NSTAR 30 cm engine, while incorporating new technology where warranted to extend the power and throughput capability. The NASA Hall thruster program currently supports a number of tasks related to high power thruster development for a number of customers including the Energetics Program (formerly called the Space-based Program), the Space Solar Power Program, and the In-space Propulsion Program. In program year 2002, two tasks were central to the NASA Hall thruster program: 1.) the development of a laboratory Hall thruster capable of providing high thrust at high power; 2.) investigations into operation of Hall thrusters at high specific impulse. In addition to these two primary thruster development activities, there are a number of other on-going activities supported by the NASA Hall thruster program. These additional activities are related to issues such as thruster lifetime and spacecraft integration.

Download Full-text

High-Power Electric Propulsion Enabling Support to the future Deep Space Gateway

2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition ◽

10.2514/6.2018-5189 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Martina Mammarella ◽

Christopher A. Paissoni ◽

Nicole Viola ◽

Roberta Fusaro ◽

Tommaso Andrenussi

Keyword(s):

High Power ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Deep Space ◽

The Future

Download Full-text

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) Downlink Simulation with Varying PPM Order

10.21203/rs.3.rs-185923/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emmanuel Domfeh Aboagye ◽

Shun-Ping Chen

Keyword(s):

Power Level ◽

Space Mission ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Communication Link ◽

Noise Power ◽

Deep Space ◽

Data Rates ◽

Wide Range ◽

Error Probabilities ◽

Operating Points

Abstract During the course of a typical deep space mission like Mars Earth mission, there exist a wide range of operating points due to the different changes in geometry that consequently cause different Link Budgets in terms of received signal and noise power. These changes include: Distance Range, Sun-Earth-Planet Angle, Zenith Angle and Atmospheric conditions. The different operating points with different losses (background noise, pointing losses and atmospheric losses) lead to different capacities and data rates over the course of a typical Deep Space mission. Consequently, different engineering parameters are adjusted and optimized to combat some of these varying losses in order to get an acceptable data rate and bit error probabilities. This provides a good basis to undertake analysis and simulations of the various operating conditions that occur with the varying spatial orbital time periods on the resulting received signal power level, noise power level, capacity, data rates and bit error probabilities. This paper details results of simulations done in a typical Deep Space Optical Communication link operation.

Download Full-text

Performance tests of IPPLM's krypton Hall thruster

Laser and Particle Beams ◽

10.1017/s0263034618000046 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 105-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jacek Kurzyna ◽

Maciej Jakubczak ◽

Agnieszka Szelecka ◽

Käthe Dannenmayer

Keyword(s):

Electric Propulsion ◽

Specific Impulse ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Hall Thruster ◽

Laboratory Model ◽

Attractive Alternative ◽

Stable Operation ◽

Performance Tests ◽

Hall Effect Thruster ◽

Wide Range

AbstractThe Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion's (IPPLM) Hall effect thruster (Krypton Large IMpulse Thruster, KLIMT) is a 500 W class plasma engine with a mean diameter of discharge channel of 42 mm. KLIMT was developed within ESA/PECS project aiming to provide relatively small thruster for satellites that would be able to effectively operate with krypton propellant. Being several times less expensive than xenon, which is regarded as a propellant of choice for electric propulsion of electrostatic type, krypton since years has been suggested as an attractive alternative. In this paper, a design as well as performance tests of the laboratory model of KLIMT are discussed. It is shown that precise adjustment of magnetic field topography results in the stable operation of the thruster in wide range of operating conditions providing similar thrust and specific impulse production for both propellants. Maximum thrust produced with the use of xenon and krypton reached about 16–17 mN for mass flow rate of 1.15–1.2 mg/s resulting in specific impulse in the range of 1300–1500 s (13–15 km/s). However, for krypton the anode efficiency drops by ~10% in comparison with xenon. For krypton plasma beam divergence as measured by an average half-angle with respect to the beam axis was found to remain within the range of 19–23° for the whole set of the examined operating conditions. The reported characteristics are reasonable for Hall thruster of the discussed size and power.

Download Full-text

Deep space optical communications (DSOC) downlink simulation with varying PPM order

Optical and Quantum Electronics ◽

10.1007/s11082-021-03232-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 53 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Emmanuel Domfeh Aboagye ◽

Shun-Ping Chen

Keyword(s):

Power Level ◽

Space Mission ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Communication Link ◽

Noise Power ◽

Deep Space ◽

Data Rates ◽

Wide Range ◽

Error Probabilities ◽

Operating Points

AbstractDuring the course of a typical deep space mission like the Mars Earth mission, there exist a wide range of operating points, due to the different changes in geometry that consequently cause different link budgets in terms of received signal and noise power. These changes include distance range, Sun-Earth-Probe angle, zenith angle and atmospheric conditions. The different operating points, with different losses (background noise, pointing losses and atmospheric losses), lead to different capacities and data rates over the course of a typical deep space mission. Consequently, different engineering parameters are adjusted and optimized to combat some of these varying losses in order to get acceptable data rates and bit error probabilities. This is a useful reason to analyze and simulate various operating conditions that occur with the varying spatial orbital time periods of the resulting received signal power level, noise power level, capacity, data rates and bit error probabilities. This paper details results of simulations of typical deep space optical communication link operation.

Download Full-text

TRADEOFF ANALYSIS OF HIGH-POWER ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEMS BASED ON DOMESTIC ELECTRIC PROPULSION ENGINES AND POTENTIAL FOR THEIR USE IN ORBIT-TO-ORBIT TRANSFER SYSTEMS AND DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION

Space engineering and technology ◽

10.33950/spacetech-2308-7625-2019-4-45-55 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 45-55

Author(s):

Yu.G. GUSEV ◽

A.V. PILNIKOV ◽

S.E. SUVOROV

Keyword(s):

High Power ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Storage System ◽

Current Status ◽

Vacuum System ◽

Deep Space ◽

Propulsion Systems ◽

Orbit Transfer ◽

Rocket Propulsion ◽

Component Development

The paper discusses design solutions for increased-power and high-power electric rocket propulsion systems to be used in orbit-to-orbit transfer vehicles and advanced spacecraft. It reviews characteristics of their components from the standpoint of the mission to reboost the spacecraft to their target orbits, to perform the operations of transportation to the lunar orbit and to explore deep space. It discusses key criteria and procedures for selection of components, as well as problem areas in their development and ground developmental testing. The paper analyses pros and cons of using various versions of propulsion systems based on medium- and high-power electrical propulsion engines, the current status of their component development, as well as the technical feasibility of conducting developmental tests on the ground. Key words: electric propulsion engine, propulsion system, propulsion module, propellant storage system, power supply and control system, vacuum chamber, vacuum system.

Download Full-text

A review of high-power magnetoplasmodynamic electric propulsion designs and studies of RSC Energia

Space engineering and technology ◽

10.33950/spacetech-2308-7625-2020-4-112-133 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 112-133

Author(s):

Victor V. SINYAVSKIY

Keyword(s):

Service Life ◽

Electric Power ◽

High Power ◽

Electric Propulsion ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Materials Science ◽

Low Voltage ◽

Power Input ◽

Design Bureau ◽

Rocket Propulsion

At the initiative of S.P.Korolev, in 1959, Special Design Bureau No.1 (now RSC Energia) established the High-temperature Power Engineering and Electric Propulsion Center which was tasked with development of nuclear electric propulsion for heavy interplanetary vehicles. Selected as the source of electric power was a nuclear power unit based on a thermionic converter reactor, and selected as the engine was a stationary low-voltage magnetoplasmodynamic (MPD) high-power (0.5–1.0 MW) thruster which had thousands of hours of service life. The paper presents the results of extensive efforts in research, development, design, materials science experiments, and tests on the MPD-thruster, including the results of development and 500-hours life tests of an MPD-thruster with a 500-600 kW electric power input that used lithium propellant. The world’s first lithium 17 kW MPD-thruster was built and successfully tested in space. The paper points out that to this day nobody has surpassed the then achievements of RSC Energia neither in thruster output during long steady-state operation, nor in performance and service life. Key words: Martian expeditionary vehicle, nuclear electric rocket propulsion system, electric rocket thruster, magnetoplasmodynamic thruster, lithium, cathode, anode, barium, electric propulsion tests in space.

Download Full-text

Tertiary Nitrification Pilot Plants on Parisian Waste Water

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1990.0159 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 22 (1-2) ◽

pp. 347-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Paffoni ◽

B. Védry ◽

M. Gousailles

Keyword(s):

Waste Water ◽

Metropolitan Area ◽

Fixed Bed ◽

Point Of View ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Research Center ◽

Daily Output ◽

Practical Point ◽

Fixed Bed Reactors

The Paris Metropolitan area, which contains over eight million inhabitants, has a daily output of about 3 M cu.meters of wastewater, the purification of which is achieved by SIAAP (Paris Metropolitan Area Sewage Service) in both Achères and Valenton plants. The carbon pollution is eliminated from over 2 M cu.m/day at Achères. In order to improve the quality of output water, its tertiary nitrification in fixed-bed reactors has been contemplated. The BIOFOR (Degremont) and BIOCARBONE (OTV) processes could be tested in semi-industrial pilot reactors at the CRITER research center of SIAAP. At a reference temperature of 13°C, the removed load is approximately 0.5 kg N NH4/m3.day. From a practical point of view, it may be asserted that in such operating conditions as should be at the Achères plant, one cubic meter of filter can handle the tertiary nitification of one cubic meter of purified water per hour at an effluent temperature of 13°C.

Download Full-text