Jane Edwards
Aerojet Rocketdyne has completed testing of a propulsion system prototype that intends to improve the delivery of solar array-derived power to the electric propulsion thruster components on board a spacecraft.
The company said Thursday the PowerTrain Solar Electric Propulsion platform has a power tracking tool and power conditioning breadboard components and is designed to work with Hall propulsion technologies.
“For high-power SEP modules, such as those that NASA envisions for transporting cargo to Mars, it will be critical to efficiently process and deliver the power from the advanced solar arrays to the high power electric propulsion thrusters on spacecraft,” said Julie Van Kleeck, vice president of advanced space and launch programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Aerojet Rocketdyne evaluated the prototype through a simulated environment at its Los Angeles-based facility.
