Skip to main content

Thermionics Quo Vadis? An Assessment of the DTRA's Advanced Thermionics Research and Development Program (2001) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

Appendix C Electric Propulsion Considerations
Pages 67-70

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 67...
... Combining mission power requirements with electric propulsion for orbit raising or station keeping maneuvers creates a dual mode system, that is, a system that can satisfy more than one mode of operation. 67 Of the various power systems that can provide dual mode operation, thermionic electric propulsion systems are unusual in that they can be designed to operate in a surge mode where the emitter temperature is increased from 1800 K to 2100 K
Read the entire page →
From page 68...
... The principal electric propulsion application for commercial satellites is station keeping using only the available power used for the main mission power (Sackheim and Byers 1998~. An Example: Cost Savings Achieved by Dual Mode Operation Of the several electric propulsion systems competing for high power and orbit transfer applications, two offer high efficiency and long life at attractive specific impulses: "ridded ion engines and Hall effect thrusters.~ Both devices accelerate noble gases, such as xenon and argon, to velocities in the 10 to 40 kilometers per second range.
Read the entire page →
From page 69...
... The costs per launch are as follows: - Star 75 solid rocket motor: $3.5 million, · Electric propulsion system + 100 kilowatt space power system: approximately $9 million + $33 million = $42 million.5 Using the figure stated earlier, $20,000 per kilogram to reach a GEO orbit, the savings are as follows: · Case 1. When the 100 kilowatt power source is used for electric propulsion only, the approximately 3,000 kilogram savings in mass yields approximately $60 million in additional payload for an approximate $21 million net savings.
Read the entire page →
From page 70...
... BIBLIOO~PHY Teeny, L.H~ ad.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • orbit transfer
  • gridded ion
  • dual mode
  • ion engines
  • mode operation

  • station keeping
  • mission power
  • chemical propulsion
  • electrical propulsion
  • surge mode

  • using electric
  • orbit raising
  • ion engine
  • propulsion mass
  • using electrical

  • space missions
  • hall thrusters
  • kilowatt electric
  • yields approximately
  • additional payload

  • hall effect
  • main mission
  • million net
  • net savings
  • mass yields

  • kilowatt hall
  • kilogram savings
  • avoid offensive
  • causing electric
  • demand situation


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.