Additional mission applications for NASA's 13.3-kW Ion propulsion system

Abstract

NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate has been recently developing critical technologies for high-power solar electric propulsion (SEP), including large deployable solar array structures and high-power electric propulsion components. An ion propulsion system based on these developments has been considered for many SEP technology demonstration missions, including the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) concept. These studies and the high-power SEP technology developments have generated excitement within NASA about the use of the ARRM ion propulsion system design for other types of potential missions. One application of interest is for Mars missions, especially with the types of orbiters now under consideration for flights in the early 2020's to replace the aging Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. High-power SEP can deliver large payloads to Mars with many additional capabilities, including large orbital plane changes and round-trip missions, compared to chemically-propelled spacecraft. Another application for high-power SEP is for exo-planet observation missions, where a large starshade spacecraft would need to be repositioned with respect to its companion telescope relatively frequently and rapidly. SEP is an enabling technology for the ambitious science goals of these types of missions. This paper will discuss the benefits of high-power SEP for these concepts based on the STMD technologies now under development.