Spacecraft Electric Propulsion-An Overview

TLDR

This review summarizes the current status of electric propulsion to introduce the specialized papers in the Special Issue of the Journal of Propulsion and Power. It outlines the operational principles, available thruster types, required power sources, and prototypical missions that illustrate EP’s operational peculiarities and spacecraft interactions. The review concludes with a historical overview of the accumulated flight experience with electric propulsion. Published in Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol.

Abstract

A short review of the status of electric propulsion (EP) is presented to serve as an introduction to the more specialized technical papers also appearing in this Special Issue (Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 14, No. 5, Sept. –Oct. 1998). The principles of operation and the several types of thrusters that are either operational or in advanced development are discussed Ž rst, followed by some considerations on the necessary power sources. A few prototypical missions are then described to highlight the operational peculiarities of EP, including spacecraft interactions. We conclude with a historical summary of the accumulated  ight experience using this technology.