Overview of the Development and Mission Application of the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS)

Herman, Daniel A ; Tofil, Todd A ; Santiago, Walter ; Kamhawi, Hani ; Polk, James E ; Snyder, John S ; Hofer, Richard R ; Picha, Frank Q ; Jackson, Jerry ; Allen, May

关键词: ASTEROID MISSIONS;    DESIGN ANALYSIS;    ELECTRIC PROPULSION;    HALL THRUSTERS;    HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING;    ION PROPULSION;    PROPULSION SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS;    SOLAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION;    SYSTEMS INTEGRATION;    CHEMICAL PROPULSION;    FLIGHT TESTS;    HIGH VOLTAGES;    LOW EARTH ORBITS;    MISSION PLANNING;    SOLAR ARRAYS;    XENON;   

RP-ID  :  NASA/TM-2018-219761,IEPC-2017-284,E-19473,GRC-E-DAA-TN48796

学科分类：航空航天科学

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来源: NASA Technical Reports Server

【 摘 要 】

NASA remains committed to the development and demonstration of a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency. NASA is continuing to develop the 14 kW Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS), which has recently completed an Early Integrated System Test and System Preliminary Design Review. NASA continues to pursue Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) Technology Demonstration Mission partners and mature high-power SEP mission concepts. The recent announcement of the development of a Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) as the first element of an evolvable human architecture to Mars has replaced the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) as the most probable first application of the AEPS Hall thruster system. This high-power SEP capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned exploration architecture. This paper presents the status of the combined NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne AEPS development activities and updated mission concept for implementation of the AEPS hardware as part of the ion propulsion system for a PPE.