Human and robotic exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) will require enabling capabilities that are efficient, affordable, and reliable. Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) is highly advantageous because of its favorable in-space mass transfer efficiency compared to traditional chemical propulsion systems. The NASA studies have demonstrated that this advantage becomes highly significant as missions progress beyond Earth orbit. Recent studies of human exploration missions and architectures evaluated the capabilities needed to perform a variety of human exploration missions including missions to Near Earth Objects (NEOs). The studies demonstrated that SEP stages have potential to be the most cost effective solution to perform beyond LEO transfers of high mass cargoes for human missions. Recognizing that these missions require power levels more than 10X greater than current electric propulsion systems, NASA embarked upon a progressive pathway to identify critical technologies needed and a plan for an incremental demonstration mission. The NASA studies identified a 30kW class demonstration mission that can serve as a meaningful demonstration of the technologies, operational challenges, and provide the appropriate scaling and modularity required. This paper describes the planning options for a representative demonstration 30kW class SEP mission.
Solar Electric Propulsion Vehicle Demonstration to Support Future Space Exploration Missions
Space Propulsion 2012 ; 2012 ; Bordeaux, France
2012-05-07
Conference paper
No indication
English
Primary electric propulsion for future space missions
AIAA | 1979
|Solar Electric Propulsion for Future NASA Missions
NTIS | 2015
|Advanced Solar System Exploration Missions Using Nuclear-Electric Propulsion
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1994
|High-Power Solar Electric Propulsion for Human Exploration Missions
Online Contents | 2006
|