Description
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test an electric thruster using Argon propellant, compatible with the long lifetime and high total impulse requirements of telecommunication satellites in GEO and for constellations.Targeted Improvements:- Novel capability to operate with Argon propellant not existing today.- Improved lifetime and Total Impulse per kW(N.s/kW) by a factor of 2.- Decreased complexity of the thruster architecture.Description: Satcom is undergoing a market shift with several institutional and private mega-constellations being pursued. With the need to enable and support these massive infrastructures, and to provide the necessary ability to change orbits and orbit raising key enabling technologies are required; a powerful, robust propulsion system being one of them.This activity will develop the use of Argon as propellant, a noble gas much more abundant in the atmosphere than Krypton or Xenon. Argon provides an order of magnitude propellant cost advantage which is very attractive for fuelling in particular of constellations and refuelling. It also has the potential to reduce the complexity of the thruster design due to lower operating voltages. Previously thought as a propellant used for cheap test campaigns in the initial development stages, recent non-European mega-constellation platforms have demonstrated its effectiveness roughly matching the performance achieved with Krypton and Xenon. An electric thruster breadboard using Argon propellant will be designed, manufactured and tested to demonstrate its suitability for Telecommunication Satellites in GEO and for constellations.Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to:http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/Small_and_Medium_Sized_En….