Ion Thruster System Powers Spacecraft to Deep-Space Destinations

Ion thruster system and power processing units
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Sacramento, CA
916-355-4000
www.rocket.com

Aerojet Rocketdyne is developing NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial (NEXT-C) Gridded Ion Thruster System. Managed at NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center, the NEXT-C Gridded Ion Thruster System is designed to power government and commercial spacecraft to deep-space destinations faster, farther, and more fuel efficiently than any other propulsion technology currently available.

A NASA Glenn engineer performs verification tests of the imaging diagnostic suite that allowed for periodic assessment of the components on the NEXT engine during its multi-year test. (NASA)

Under the contract, Aerojet Rocketdyne will complete development of both the NEXT-C Gridded Ion Thruster System and power processing units (PPUs), and deliver two complete flight systems to NASA. They will test a prototype PPU to demonstrate technology and design maturity before proceeding to the production of the flight units. The PPUs convert the electrical power generated by the solar arrays into power needed for each component of the thruster.

The NEXT ion thruster has been operated for over 43,000 hours, demonstrating performance that permits future science spacecraft to travel to varied destinations, such as asteroids, comets, and outer planets. (NASA)

According to NASA, the NEXT System is capable of performing a variety of missions to deep-space destinations such as Mars and the outer planets, while reducing cost and trip time. In 2013, NASA completed a 50,000-hour life test of the NEXT-C Gridded Ion Thruster System, establishing the performance and lifetime capabilities required for a wide range of demanding missions. Operating at three times the power level of the current low-power NASA systems, the NEXT-C Gridded Ion Thruster System produces three times the thrust level. This higher-power operating capability enables commercial applications in addition to science missions.

The NEXT-C technology is an evolution of NSTAR ion propulsion technology developed by NASA Glenn to propel the Dawn spacecraft to its current orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres. This contract will complete the transfer of key Glenn-developed NEXT-C technologies to industry for commercial availability.

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