Alternate Direct-Drive Option for Electric Propulsion
Ivana A. Hrbud · Journal of Propulsion and Power · 2007
The goal of this research is to power a 1.5-kW Hall thruster with a power source based on chemical double layer capacitor technology and to access performance characteristics of this power/propulsion system. The thruster was operatedinalong-pulsemodewithdecayingpowerinputandexhibitedsimilarperformancecharacteristicstobeing operatedundersteady-stateconditions.Overthetestedpowerrangeof450–1750W,thethrustergeneratedthrustof 30–100 mN at an efficiency of 30–55% and a specific impulse of 900–1950 s. These results formed the basis for a mission analysis considering extremes with regard to shading and atmospheric density. A near-Earth orbiting spacecraft served as an analysis platform to compare the mission performance of direct-drive electric propulsion options and a state-of-the-art hydrazine monopropellant system. Regardless of orbit conditions, electric propulsion options outperformed the conventional chemical system in terms of wet mass decrease (41–59%) and net mass increase (14–47%), while capacitor-powered electric propulsion options substantially reduced the onboard power requirement (66–91%).