Session
Technical Session III: Launch & Propulsion Systems
Abstract
The Electric Propulsion Product Line of L-3 Communications, Electron Technologies Inc. (L-3 ETI) currently has three ion thrusters – 13 cm, 25 cm and 30 cm – in the satellite market. The main product, the 25 cm Xenon Ion Propulsion System (XIPS©), serves both orbit-raising and station-keeping roles on the Boeing 702 communication satellite. The performance of the 13 cm and an 8 cm XIPS© system are aimed at small satellite applications and will be discussed in this paper. The 8 cm XIPS© system is presently in development. The 13 cm XIPS© systems is presently used on the Boeing 601HP commercial communications satellite. It consists of four 13 cm xenon ion thrusters and two power processors in a fully redundant configuration to provide north-south station-keeping, momentum dumping and eccentricity control. The first 601HP satellite with electric propulsion system was launched in 1997. Since then, L-3 ETI has continued to make improvements to the design and manufacturing processes. Sixty flight 13 cm thrusters (on 15 satellites) have been launched and have accumulated more than 120,500 hours of inorbit operation. The most time accumulated on any given thruster is 6845 hours. The 13 cm XIPS© thruster operates at 450 W and provides 18 mN of thrust and 2350 s of specific impulse. Performance and Life Test data for the 13 cm XIPS© thruster are presented. On-orbit performance of the thruster and its’ potential use in small satellite applications are discussed. The preliminary design of an 8 cm XIPS© thruster operating from 100 – 300 W has been completed. A prototype thruster is in preparation. Expected performance of the 8 cm thruster and its’ potential use in small satellite applications is included.
XIPS© Ion Thrusters for Small Satellite Applications
The Electric Propulsion Product Line of L-3 Communications, Electron Technologies Inc. (L-3 ETI) currently has three ion thrusters – 13 cm, 25 cm and 30 cm – in the satellite market. The main product, the 25 cm Xenon Ion Propulsion System (XIPS©), serves both orbit-raising and station-keeping roles on the Boeing 702 communication satellite. The performance of the 13 cm and an 8 cm XIPS© system are aimed at small satellite applications and will be discussed in this paper. The 8 cm XIPS© system is presently in development. The 13 cm XIPS© systems is presently used on the Boeing 601HP commercial communications satellite. It consists of four 13 cm xenon ion thrusters and two power processors in a fully redundant configuration to provide north-south station-keeping, momentum dumping and eccentricity control. The first 601HP satellite with electric propulsion system was launched in 1997. Since then, L-3 ETI has continued to make improvements to the design and manufacturing processes. Sixty flight 13 cm thrusters (on 15 satellites) have been launched and have accumulated more than 120,500 hours of inorbit operation. The most time accumulated on any given thruster is 6845 hours. The 13 cm XIPS© thruster operates at 450 W and provides 18 mN of thrust and 2350 s of specific impulse. Performance and Life Test data for the 13 cm XIPS© thruster are presented. On-orbit performance of the thruster and its’ potential use in small satellite applications are discussed. The preliminary design of an 8 cm XIPS© thruster operating from 100 – 300 W has been completed. A prototype thruster is in preparation. Expected performance of the 8 cm thruster and its’ potential use in small satellite applications is included.
