The NASA OAST Propulsion, Power, and Energy Division supports a low thrust propulsion program aimed at providing high performance options for a broad range of near-term and far-term mission and vehicles. Low thrust propulsion has a major impact on the mission performance of essentially all spacecraft and vehicles. On-orbit lifetimes, payloads, and trip times are significantly impacted by low thrust propulsion performance and integration features for Earth-to-orbit (ETO) vehicles, Earth-orbit and planetary spacecraft, and large platforms in Earth orbit. Major emphases are on low thrust chemical propulsion, both storables and hydrogen/oxygen; low-power (auxiliary) electric arcjects and resistojets; and high-power (primary) electric propulsion, including ion, magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD), and electrodeless concepts. The major recent accomplishments of the program are presented and their impacts discussed.
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Low Thrust Propulsion Program
1989
31 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Rocket Engines & Motors , Electric & Ion Propulsion , Unmanned Spacecraft , Arc jet engines , Chemical propulsion , Low thrust , Propulsion system performance , Resistojet engines , Spacecraft propulsion , Electrodeless discharges , Hydrogen oxygen engines , Ion propulsion , Magnetoplasmadynamics , Orbital lifetime , Storable propellants