Electric Propulsion for Solar System Exploration

Abstract

The use of ion propulsion for deep-space missions will become a reality in 1998 with the ight of the ion-propelled, New Millennium Deep Space 1 (DS1) spacecraft. The anticipation of this event is stimulating the call for improved ion propulsion technologies, a trend that is expected to continue. This paper describes the evaluation of possible advanced solar electric propulsion technologies and their potential bene ts to projected near-term and midterm solar system exploration missions. The advanced technologies include high-performance derivatives of the DS1 ion propulsion technology, scaled-down DS1 systems, and direct-drive Hall-effect thruster systems. The results of this study indicate that signi cant near-term bene ts can be obtained by the development of improved versions of the DS1 ion propulsion system (IPSs) components. In addition, if the current trend to smaller planetary spacecraft continues, then missions ying these smaller future spacecraft will bene t substantially from the development of scaled-down IPSs that incorporate advanced technologies in the ion engines and the propellant feed systems. The performance of the direct-drive Hall thruster systems is potentially superior to that of all other midterm options, but this technology has the highest development risk. Signi cantly reduced trip times to small bodies and the outer planets may be possible if technology programs work to retire these risks.

Numerical Investigation of Ion Transport in Under-Expanded Jet Flows

“…T HE ability to accurately predict and thereby understand the often complex transport of a charged gas through a background neutral gas subject to electro-magnetic forces is very important to furthering the understanding of many advanced technological and industrial plasma processes including those associated with vapour deposition in material and semiconductor processing, 1, 2 microsystems, 3 electric space propulsion devices, [4][5][6][7] and ionospheric and space plasmas processes. 8,9 The transport of ions through rapidly expanding and/or jet flows are also important to the operation of mass spectrometers, such as liquid chromatography (LC) / mass spectrometry (MS) systems used extensively in the trace analysis of biological fluids for drugs, metabolites, and natural biopolymers.…”

Optimal trajectories towards near-earth-objects using solar electric propulsion (SEP) and gravity assisted maneuver

“…The characteristics of the spacecraft propulsion system that have been assumed are [11] The necessary optimal condition were formulated in agreement with the problem; the bang-bang control was used in the formularization with limited power and constraint in the time of flight. …”

Performance of Solar Electric Powered Deep Space Missions Using Hall Thruster Propulsion

“…A common theme in past interplanetary mission analysis work is that the optimal specific impulses required for deep space missions are too high for Hall thrusters to attain, implying that the performance of the Hall thrusters would be inferior to the higher I sp ion thrusters. 6,7,8 While this may be true for constant power missions, it does not hold true for certain power-limited deep space missions. Fiehler and Oleson compared Hall and ion technology performance results for direct Earth-Mars Solar Electric Powered (SEP) missions.…”