Gridded ion engines have the highest efficiency and total impulse of any mature electric propulsion technology, and have been successfully implemented for primary propulsion in both geocentric and heliocentric environments with excellent ground/in-space correlation of performance. However, they have not been optimized to maximize thrust-to-power, an important parameter for Earth orbit transfer applications. This publication discusses technology development work intended to maximize this parameter. These activities include investigating the capabilities of a non-conventional design approach, the annular engine, which has the potential of exceeding the thrust-to-power of other EP technologies. This publication discusses the status of this work, including the fabrication and initial tests of a large-area annular engine. This work is being conducted in collaboration among NASA Glenn Research Center, The Aerospace Corporation, and the University of Michigan.
High Thrust-to-Power Annular Engine Technology
AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference ; 2015 ; Orlando, FL, United States
2015-07-27
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Keine Angabe
Englisch
High Thrust-to-Power Annular Engine Technology
AIAA | 2015
|High Thrust-to-Power Annular Engine Technology
NTRS | 2015
|Thrust stand comparison of tubular and annular high-thrust density devices
Tema Archiv | 1975
|Annular nozzle engine technology
NTRS | 1992
|