Application of these systems is examined for unmanned flybys and orbiter missions, and manned missions to Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter; characteristics such as power requirements and required operational lifetimes of electric systems are shown for several manned missions in which separate power plants for outbound and inbound phases are employed; use of combined electric systems could increase payloads for given initial mass in Earth orbit in case of near-planet orbiters and flybys and even reduce long trip times to more distant planets; for manned Jupiter mission, trip time of 1500 days appears to be attractive on basis of mass, power requirements, and operating times of electric power plants.
Applications of combined electric, high-thrust propulsion systems
J Spacecraft Rockets
Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets ; 5 , n 7
1968
7 pages
Article (Journal)
English
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