A solar electric propulsion mission to the Moon and beyond

Abstract

The technological development of solar electric propulsion has advanced significantly over the last several years. Mission planners are now seriously examining which missions would benefit most from solar electric propulsion. NASA's Solar System Exploration Division is cofunding with the Advanced Concepts and Technology Division both ground and space qualification tests of components for electric propulsion systems. In response to the impending release of NASA's Announcement of Opportunity for Discovery class planetary missions we have undertaken a prephase A study of a Solar Electric Propulsion mission to the Moon. In this paper we review some of our findings about missions using solar electric propulsion and outline a possible scenario for a lunar mission. Solar electric propulsion can shorten mission flight times, enable launches on smaller rockets, and provide greater flexibility including longer launch windows. Such a mission launched now would enable us to complete the geophysical and geochemical mapping of the Moon left undone by both the Apollo and Clementine missions and to demonstrate a technology of significant importance to both future planetary exploration and the growing commercial space market.