The UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and Matra Marconi Space (MMS) have formed a strategic alliance to develop and market ion propulsion technology for spacecraft.
Ion propulsion - which has already been employed on some international spacecraft for attitude control and orbit station-keeping - employs inert xenon gas as a propellant rather than liquid chemical systems.
The DERA/MMS work covers existing collaborative work between the organisations on the T5 Ion Propulsion system, which will be used on the European Space Agency's Artemis technology spacecraft to be launched in 2000, and a larger engine, the T6, which could eventually be upgraded to a higher thrust version for orbital manoeuvring.
Propulsion results form ionising xenon gas using electron bombardment. The resulting ions are accelerated to very high velocities by means of a strong electric field produced between perforated and aligned grids which form the exit to the thruster.
The technology's benefits over traditional and heavier chemical propulsion systems, include attaining higher velocities and smoother more controlled throttling.
Source: Flight International
