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Ongoing Wear Test of a XIPS(c) 25-Centimeter Thruster Discharge CathodeThe Xenon Ion Propulsion System (XIPS(c)) 25-cm thruster produced by L-3 Communications Electron Technologies, Inc. offers a number of potential benefits for planetary missions, including high efficiency and high Isp over a large power throttling range and availability from an active product line. The thruster is qualified for use on commercial communications satellites, which have requirements differing from those for typical planetary missions. In particular, deep space missions require longer service life over a broad range of throttling conditions. A XIPS(c) discharge cathode assembly is currently undergoing a long duration test to extend operating experience at the maximum power point and at throttled conditions unique to planetary mission applications. A total of 11080 hours have been accumulated at conditions corresponding to the full power engine operating point at 4.2 kWe and an intermediate power point at 2.76 kWe. Minor performance losses and cathode keeper erosion were observed at the full power point, but there were no changes in performance and negligible erosion at the intermediate power point.
Document ID
20150014771
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Polk, James E.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Goebel, Dan M.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Tighe, William
(L-3 Communications Electron Technologies, Inc. Torrance, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 3, 2015
Publication Date
July 21, 2008
Subject Category
Propellants And Fuels
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit
Location: Hartford, CT
Country: United States
Start Date: July 21, 2008
End Date: July 23, 2008
Sponsors: Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society for Engineering Education, American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Hollow cathodes

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