Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) is a 7-kW class gridded ion thruster-based propulsion system that was initially developed from 2002 to 2012 under NASAs In-Space Propulsion Technology Program to meet future science mission requirements. In 2015, a contract was awarded to Aerojet Rocketdyne, with subcontractor ZIN Technologies, to design, build and test two NEXT flight thrusters and two power processing units that would be available for use on future NASA science missions. Because an additional goal of this contract is to take steps towards offering NEXT as a commercialized system, it is called the NEXT-Commercial project, or NEXT-C. This paper reviews the capabilities of the NEXT-C system, status of the NEXT-C project, and the forward plan to build, test, and deliver flight hardware in support of future NASA and commercial applications. It also briefly addresses some of the potential applications that could utilize the hardware developed and built by the project.
Keywords:
Spacecraft Propulsion and Power
Type:
IAC-17.C4.4.3
,
GRC-E-DAA-TN46431
,
International Astronautical Congress; Sep 25, 2017 - Sep 29, 2017; Adelaide; Australia
Format:
application/pdf
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