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Deep Space Mission Applications for NEXT: NASA's Evolutionary Xenon ThrusterNASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) is designed to address a need for advanced ion propulsion systems on certain future NASA deep space missions. This paper surveys seven potential missions that have been identified as being able to take advantage of the unique capabilities of NEXT. Two conceptual missions to Titan and Neptune are analyzed, and it is shown that ion thrusters could decrease launch mass and shorten trip time, to Titan compared to chemical propulsion. A potential Mars Sample return mission is described, and compassion made between a chemical mission and a NEXT based mission. Four possible near term applications to New Frontiers and Discovery class missions are described, and comparisons are made to chemical systems or existing NSTAR ion propulsion system performance. The results show that NEXT has potential performance and cost benefits for missions in the Discovery, New Frontiers, and larger mission classes.
Document ID
20110016077
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Oh, David
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Benson, Scott
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Witzberger, Kevin
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Cupples, Michael
(Science Applications International Corp. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
July 12, 2004
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Country: United States
Start Date: July 12, 2004
End Date: July 15, 2004
Sponsors: Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., American Society for Engineering Education, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
low thrust trajectories
ion thruster

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