Electric Propulsion for Future Space

Missions
Part I

Bryan Palaszewski
Digital Learning Network
NASA Glenn Research Center
at Lewis Field
 Introduction

• Why electric propulsion?

– Types
– Applications
• Some history
• Future missions and vehicles
• A very cool future
Solar Electric Propulsion Module
 Why High Exhaust Velocity
Is Important
CHEMICAL PROPULSION
Ve Vs/c

Propellant Payload

ROCKET EQUATION
ELECTRIC PROPULSION
Mfinal – ²V s/c
= EXP
Minitial Ve
Power
Ve Supply
Isp =
gc

Propellant Payload
 Chemical & Electric Propulsion
Have Intrinsic Differences
Propellant Electric
Velocity

Chemical

Chemical

Energy Limited
Thrust

Electric Total
Impulse Chemical

Electric
Power Limited

Time
 Solar and Nuclear Electric Propulsion
Subsystems

Nuclear
Sun
Reactor

Thermal-to-
Solar Electric
Cells Power
Conversion

Power
Conditioning

Electric
Thruster
Thrust Exhaust
Propellant
 Electric Propulsion
Historical Overview

1903 -- K. E. Tsiolkovsky derived the “Tsiolkovsky” or
“Rocket” Equation commonly used to show the
benefits of electric propulsion

1906 -- R. Goddard wrote about the possibility of
electric rockets

1911 -- K. E. Tsiolkovsky independently wrote about
electric rockets

1929 -- World’s first electric thruster demonstrated by
V. P. Glushko at the Gas Dynamics Laboratory in
Lenningrad

1960 -- First “broad-beam” ion thruster operated in the
U.S. at the NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center
 Electric Propulsion
Historical Overview

1964 -- First successful sub-orbital demonstration
of an ion engine (SERT I) by the U.S.

1964 -- First use of an electric thruster on an
interplanetary probe (Zond 2) by the USSR

1970 -- Long duration test of mercury ion thrusters
in space (SERT II) by the U.S.

1972 -- First operation of a xenon stationary plasma
thruster (SPT-50) in space (Meteor) by the USSR

1993 -- First use of hydrazine arcjets on a
commercial communications satellite (Telstar 401)
by the U.S.
 The First Electric Thruster
• Developed by V. P Glushko at
the Gas Dynamics Laboratory
in Lenningrad, 1929 - 1933

• Solid and Liquid Conductors

Were Vaporized by High
Current Discharges in the
Plenum Chamber and
Expanded Through the
Nozzle

• Power Provided by 40 kV, 4

mF Capacitors
 Types Of Electric Thrusters
• Electrostatic
– Ion
– Hall
• Electrothermal
– Arcjet
– Resistojet
• Electromagnetic
– Magneto plasma dynamic (MPD)
– Many others
 Types Of Electric Thrusters

THRUSTER POWER RANGE SPECIFIC IMPULSE (s)

Electrothermal 100s of watts 300 to 400
Resistojets
Arcjets
Hydrazine kilowatts 500 to 600
Hydrogen 10s of kilowatts 900 to 1200
Ammonia kilowatts to 10s of kilowatts 600 to 800
Electrostatic
Gridded Ion Engines watts to 100 kilowatts 2000 to 10,000
Stationary Plasma Thrusters (SPT) 100s of watts to 10’s of kilowatts 1000 to 2500
Thruster with Anode Layer (TAL) 100s of watts to 10’s of kilowatts 1000 to 4000
Electromagnetic
Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD)
Pulsed kilowatts (average) 1000 to 4000
Steady-State 100s of kilowatts to megawatts 3000 to 7000
Pulsed Plasma Thruster 10s to 100s of watts (average) 1000 to 1500
Pulsed Inductive Thruster 10s of kilowatts 3000 to 5000
Electron Cyclotron Thruster kilowatts to 10s of kilowatts 2000 to 4000
Many Others
Ion Thruster
 Ion Thruster

NEUTRALIZER KEEPER (AT +5 V)

NEUTRALIZER CATHODE (AT -15 V)
PROPELLANT FEED
ANODE (AT +1100 V) PLASMA
BRIDGE
PROPELLANT FEED
MAGNETIC FIELD LINES ELECTRONS EMITTED BY AN
(USED TO IMPROVE EXTERNAL CATHODE ARE
IONIZATION EFFICIENCY) ION
INJECTED INTO THE ION BEAM
PRODUCTION FOR NEUTRALIZATION
HOLLOW CATHODE VOLUME
(AT +1070 V) EMITS PLASMA ION BEAM
ELECTRONS INTO THE (AT +1100 V) (AT THE AMBIENT SPACE
DISCHARGE CHAMBER PLASMA POTENTIAL) ( 0 V )
PROPELLANT
FEED ELECTRONS IONS ACCELERATED
IMPACT ATOMS
ELECTROSTATICALLY
KEEPER ELECTRODE TO CREATE THROUGH A NET VOLTAGE
(AT +1075 V) IONS OF 1100 V

MAGNET RINGS - ELECTRONS ARE

REMOVED FROM THE DISCHARGE POSITIVE GRID NEGATIVE GRID
CHAMBER AT THE MAGNETIC FIELD CUSPS (AT 1070 V) (AT -200 V)
Ion Thruster Layout
 Hall Thruster
Thrusters designed
and fabricated by the
Design Bureau Fakel,
Kaliningrad (Baltic
Region), Russia, and
offered by
International Space
Technology, Inc.

SPT-100 SPT-140
1350 W 4000 W
1600 lbf-s/lbm 1700 lbf-s/lbm
(Nominal) (Nominal)

SPT-70 SPT-50
700 W 300 W
1450 lbf-s/lbm 1200 lbf-s/lbm
(Nominal) (Nominal)
 Hall Thruster
Anode
Magnet Coils

Xe Dielectric Walls

Ez

Br

Cathode

Xe Power Supply
Power Supply
 Hydrazine Arcjet

Primex Aerospace Hydrazine Arcjet: 1.8 kW, 200 mN, 500 lb f-s/lbm
 Arcjet Thruster

PROPELLANT IN

THRUSTER
EXHAUST
CATHODE

ANODE

CURRENT ARC
 Arcjet Thruster
Ship Set of Four Olin Aerospace 500 lbf-s/lbm Hydrazine Arcjets
and Power Processing Unit
 Magneto Plasma Dynamic (MPD)
Thruster
Pulsed MPD Thruster Operating on Argon Propellant at Princeton University
 Magneto Plasma Dynamic (MPD)
Thruster
Current
Streamlines

Anode
Insulator
Backplate

Propellant J J xB

CL Cathode Plasma

Propellant B

Anode
Self-Induced
Magnetic Field
Pulsed Plasma Thruster
Pulsed Plasma Thruster
Pulsed Plasma Thruster
NASA Glenn Electric Propulsion
Laboratory (EPL)
 NASA Glenn Electric Propulsion
Laboratory (EPL) Contributions

• On September 23, 2001, the Deep Space 1 ion thruster

set a record of 16,000 hrs. of operation while
propelling the spacecraft on its encounter with Comet
Borrelly.
• In preparation of MErcury Surface, Space
ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging
(MESSENGER) probe mission, VF-6 was used to
characterize components under a 10-sun solar
insolation environment.
• On December 3, 2000, hollow cathodes, which were
developed at GRC and tested in VF-5 as part of the
Plasma Contactor Unit, began protecting the
International Space Station from harmful space
plasma voltage potentials.
 NASA Glenn Electric Propulsion
Laboratory (EPL) Contributions

• A refractive secondary concentrator (RSC)

achieved temperatures of 1455 Kelvin with
an 87% throughput in VF-6.
• On January 4, 2002, a pulsed plasma
thruster on Earth Observing 1
demonstrated a highly fuel efficient method
of controlling spacecraft attitude and
"pointability."
• Conducted first integrated solar dynamic
system test from solar input to electrical
power in VF-6.
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Neptune and Ion Thruster
Pluto
Deep Space 1
Deep Space 1 Thruster / Spacecraft
Compatibility Testing
Deep Space 1 Thruster
• Launch of Deep
Space 1
• Boeing Delta II
(7326) Rocket
• October 24, 1998
DS-1 Trajectory
Autonomous Navigation
Comet Borrelly
Comet Borrelly