Preliminary steps have been taken in a joint high-priority project between NASA and the European Space Agency, whereby a Solar Electric Propulsion System (SEPS), using ion drive of a 25-30 kilowatt power level, will be utilized for the first time, as part of the Space Transportation System, in powering a probe to be deployed toward Halley's comet in 1985 and a separate spacecraft which will rendezvous with the Temple 2 comet in 1988 and study it for one year. Unlike ballistically-launched vehicles, an unprecedented long-term interaction between the SEPS, the primary source of power and attitude control, and the spacecraft, responsible for data handling (at a rate of 10-120 kilobits per second), and command and telecommunications to earth (requiring capabilities at both X- and S-band frequencies, for dual-frequency navigational tracking), is required, as mission phases alternate between powered flight and science data-taking. Different design sensitivities are presented graphically.


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    Title :

    The ion drive program - Comet rendezvous issues for SEPS developers


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    International Electric Propulsion Conference ; 1979 ; Princeton, NJ


    Publication date :

    1979-10-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





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    Sauer, C. G., Jr. | NTRS | 1980




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    Draper, R. F. / Lundy, S. A. | NTRS | 1984