Pushing the limits of sub-kilowatt electric propulsion technology for space mission concepts

NASA has developed a complicated propulsion know-how to facilitate future planetary exploration missions utilizing small spacecraft. Not solely will this know-how allow new sorts of planetary science missions, certainly one of NASA’s industrial companions is already making ready to make use of it for one more objective—to increase the lifetimes of spacecraft which are already in orbit.

Figuring out the chance for business to make use of this new know-how not solely advances NASA’s purpose of know-how commercialization, it may probably create a path for NASA to amass this necessary know-how from business to be used in future planetary missions.

The brand new know-how

Planetary science missions utilizing small spacecraft shall be required to carry out difficult propulsive maneuvers—similar to attaining planetary escape velocities, orbit seize, and extra—that require a velocity change (delta-v) functionality properly in extra of typical industrial wants and the present state-of-the-art. Due to this fact, the #1 enabling know-how for these small spacecraft missions is an electrical propulsion system that may execute these high-delta-v maneuvers.

The propulsion system should function utilizing low energy (sub-kilowatt) and have high-propellant throughput (i.e., the aptitude to make use of a excessive whole mass of propellant over its lifetime) to allow the impulse required to execute these maneuvers.

After a few years of analysis and growth, researchers at NASA Glenn Analysis Heart (GRC) have created a small spacecraft electrical propulsion system to fulfill these wants—the NASA-H71M sub-kilowatt Corridor-effect thruster. As well as, the profitable commercialization of this new thruster will quickly present at the very least one such resolution to allow the following era of small spacecraft science missions requiring as much as an incredible 8 km/s of delta-v.

This technical feat was completed by the miniaturization of many superior high-power photo voltaic electrical propulsion applied sciences developed over the past decade for functions such because the Energy and Propulsion Factor of Gateway, humanity’s first area station across the moon.

Advantages of this know-how for planetary exploration

Small spacecraft utilizing the NASA-H71M electrical propulsion know-how will be capable of independently maneuver from low-Earth orbit (LEO) to the moon and even from a geosynchronous switch orbit (GTO) to Mars.

This functionality is particularly outstanding as a result of industrial launch alternatives to LEO and GTO have develop into routine, and the surplus launch capability of such missions is commonly bought at low value to deploy secondary spacecraft. The flexibility to conduct missions that originate from these near-Earth orbits can vastly improve the cadence and decrease the price of lunar and Mars science missions.

This propulsion functionality may also improve the attain of secondary spacecraft, which have been traditionally restricted to scientific targets that align with the first mission’s launch trajectory. This new know-how will allow secondary missions to considerably deviate from the first mission’s trajectory, which can facilitate exploration of a wider vary of scientific targets.

As well as, these secondary spacecraft science missions would sometimes have solely a brief time frame to gather knowledge throughout a high-speed flyby of a distant physique. This higher propulsive functionality will enable deceleration and orbital insertion at planetoids for long-term scientific research.

Moreover, small spacecraft outfitted with such vital propulsive functionality shall be higher outfitted to handle late-stage adjustments to the first mission’s launch trajectory. Such adjustments are regularly a prime threat for small spacecraft science missions with restricted onboard propulsive functionality that rely upon the preliminary launch trajectory to achieve their science goal.

Industrial functions

The megaconstellations of small spacecraft now forming in low-Earth orbits have made low-power Corridor-effect thrusters essentially the most plentiful electrical propulsion system utilized in area at this time. These programs use propellant very effectively, which permits for orbit insertion, de-orbiting, and a few years of collision avoidance and re-phasing.

Nevertheless, the cost-conscious design of those industrial electrical propulsion programs has inevitably restricted their lifetime functionality to sometimes lower than a number of thousand hours of operation and these programs can solely course of about 10% or much less of a small spacecraft’s preliminary mass in propellant.

In contrast, planetary science missions benefiting from the NASA-H71M electrical propulsion system know-how may function for 15,000 hours and course of greater than 30% of the small spacecraft’s preliminary mass in propellant.

This game-changing functionality is properly past the wants of most industrial LEO missions and comes at a value premium that makes commercialization for such functions unlikely. Due to this fact, NASA sought and continues to hunt partnerships with corporations creating revolutionary industrial small spacecraft mission ideas with unusually massive propellant throughput necessities.

One accomplice that can quickly use the licensed NASA electrical propulsion know-how in a industrial small spacecraft utility is SpaceLogistics, a completely owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman. The Mission Extension Pod (MEP) satellite tv for pc servicing car is provided with a pair of Northrop Grumman NGHT-1X Corridor-effect thrusters, whose design relies on the NASA-H71M.

The small spacecraft’s massive propulsive functionality will enable it to achieve geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) the place it is going to be mounted on a far bigger satellite tv for pc. As soon as put in, the MEP will function a “propulsion jet pack” to increase the lifetime of its host spacecraft for at the very least six years.

Northrop Grumman is presently conducting an extended length put on check (LDWT) of the NGHT-1X in GRC’s Vacuum Facility 11 to display its full lifetime operational functionality. The LDWT is funded by Northrop Grumman by way of a totally reimbursable Area Act Settlement. The primary MEP spacecraft are anticipated to launch in 2025, the place they are going to prolong the lifetime of three GEO communication satellites.

Collaborating with U.S. business to search out small spacecraft functions with propulsive necessities just like future NASA planetary science missions not solely helps U.S. business in remaining a world chief in industrial area programs however creates new industrial alternatives for NASA to amass these necessary applied sciences as planetary missions require them.

NASA continues to mature the H71M electrical propulsion applied sciences to increase the vary of information and documentation obtainable to U.S. business for the aim of creating equally superior and extremely succesful low-power electrical propulsion gadgets.