Advanced Solar Electric Propulsion

The solar electric propulsion project has developed solar arrays that are lighter stronger more compact and less expensive than those currently available.

Advanced solar electric propulsion.

Shown here is a 13 kilowatt hall thruster being evaluated at nasa s glenn. This multipurpose space vehicle. Get the latest updates on nasa missions watch nasa tv live and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind. Other thruster technologies are emerging with higher power thrust and specific impulse isp capabilities.

As of 2019 over 500 spacecraft operated throughout the solar system use electric propulsion for station keeping orbit raising or primary propulsion. Solar electric propulsion sep refers to the combination of solar cells and electric thrusters to propel a spacecraft through outer space. Arrm is a mission that was highlighted as a priority by the obama administration. Nasa gov brings you the latest images videos and news from america s space agency.

Solar electric propulsion is presently flying on dawn which uses 2 3 kw nasa solar electric propulsion technology application readiness nstar engines. Solar electric propulsion provides such high fuel economy that it reduces the amount of propellant required onboard vehicles for deep space missions by as much as 90 percent. This is the equivalent of 17 trips around the world. Naval dc is your specialist with more than 12 years of experience for electric propulsion systems.

Bringing together expertise in advanced brayton power conversion systems concentrated solar collector technology and space system design and analysis sandia national laboratories partnering with northrup grumman aerospace systems and the university of michigan has developed a solar electric propulsion concept capable of a wide array of missions for nasa. Nasa has selected aerojet rocketdyne inc. Our portfolio spans from fleets of solar electric and hybrid catamarans to solar electric race and speed boats. This technology has been exploited in a variety of spacecraft by the european space agency the japanese space agency indian space research organisation and nasa.

To date our systems have logged in excess of 400 000 nm on the open ocean. In the future the most advanced electric thrusters may be able to impart a delta v of 100 km s which is enough to take a spacecraft to the outer planets of the solar system with nuclear power. Arrm would use the new 50 kw solar electric propulsion robotic spacecraft fly it to a near earth asteroid and.