| Description |
This course is focused on the operating principles, design features, operating characteristics and capabilities of electric thrusters; including arc-jet, Hall, and ion thrusters. The reasons why these thrusters are being used so successfully for stationkeeping and orbit-raising missions on Earth satellites and why they were so successful on the Deep Space One mission will be explained. Lessons learned from these missions will be discussed. The great potential of electric thrusters for future advanced satellite and exploration missions including those associated with the Nuclear Space Initiative will be presented. Analysis techniques for typical missions and the impact of the thrusters on those missions and on spacecraft systems will be addressed. The extension of spacecraft capabilities afforded by electric propulsion and issues associated with its integration into spacecraft will also be discussed.
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