Electric Propulsion systems are capable of placing satellites into final orbit, maintaining their on-station positions throughout their service life and maneuvering them into orbit positions and for interplanetary travel.

For over 40 years, Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion has been producing high-performance propulsion systems for space applications, ranging in size from large boosters to sophisticated upper stages and space motors for satellite orbiting and interplanetary travel.

To further expand its suite of propulsion systems for space, Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion acquired Space Power, Inc., a company with U.S. designed and patented electric propulsion systems capable of placing satellites into final orbit, maintaining their on-station positions throughout their service life and maneuvering them into orbit positions.

As part of Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion’s electric propulsion capability, the company offers complete, fully integrated propulsion systems that include Hall Effect Thrusters, Power Processing Units, propellant management systems, tanks and other components. The current family of Hall Effect Thrusters is described below.

T-40

The T-40 Hall Effect Thruster is an ideal size for orbit adjustment for small satellites and east-west station keeping for large satellite systems.

The T-40 operates at 0.1 to 0.4 kW and produces 5 to 20 mN of thrust with specific impulse values varying between 1,000 and 1,600 seconds, depending on operational conditions. The T-40 has undergone successful demonstration testing at the Air Force Research Laboratory and is currently being prepared for complete system qualification testing.

T-140

The T-140 Hall Effect Thruster is an ideal size for north-south station keeping for large satellites.

The T-140 operates at 1.8 to 4.5 kW and produces 160 to 300 mN of thrust with specific impulse values varying between 1,800 and 2,200 seconds, depending on operational conditions. This system has undergone successful demonstration testing and is currently under evaluation for complete system qualification testing.

T-220 and T-220T

The largest Hall Effect Thruster in the family is the T-220. The first version of this engine was tested at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). Since that time Pratt & Whitney has developed a high-power, high-thrust version designated as T-220HT. The T-220HT is an ideal size for orbit insertion and orbit transfer of large satellite systems. The T-220 or T-220HT can also be configured to operate in a dual mode: low specific impulse-high thrust for orbit insertion/transfer and high specific impulse-low thrust for station keeping.

The T-220 thrusters operate at 7 to 20 kW and produce 0.5 to 1.0 N of thrust with specific impulse values varying between 1,500 and 2,500 seconds, depending on operational conditions. The T-220 has undergone successful demonstration testing at NASA GRC for 1,000 hours and demonstrated about 2,500 seconds of specific impulse with very low material erosion.

The T-220HT has undergone extensive performance mapping under orbit transfer conditions at NASA GRC. The profile of the exhaust plume and radiated electromagnetic noise have also been measured. The results show that the T-220HT has a very narrow exhaust plume and it is electromagnetically very quiet.

Electric Propulsion Links

• Electric Propulsion Pratt & Whitney: Information and picture source (19 August 2007)

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Updated: Sunday 7th, September, 2008