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Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer

Low Mass Low Power Hall Thruster System, Phase I

Completed Technology Project
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Project Description

Low Mass Low Power Hall Thruster System, Phase I
NASA is seeking electric propulsion systems capable of producing up to 20mN thrust, input power up to 1000W and specific impulse ranging from 1600-3500 seconds. The target mass is 1kg for the thruster and 2kg for the power processor unit (PPU). The proposed system will be based on a variant of our low power HET family, the NASA in-situ channel replacement technology for thruster life extension, and a simplified PPU based on our patented multi-functional single converter PPU. In Phase I Busek proposes to develop subsystem designs for the thruster/cathode, PPU and XFS and demonstrate through integrated testing a new power processing architecture that replaces the four main DC-DC converters of a typical PPU with a single multi-functional converter. A major activity of the Phase 1 effort will be the design, fabrication and test of a breadboard version of the multi-functional converter using our high efficiency power converter topology. In Phase II we will design and build engineering prototypes of each subsystem and conduct a TRL 6 integrated system demonstration. At the conclusion of the program the system will be delivered to GRC for extended duration testing in NASA facilities. More »

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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners

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