NASA Commences Testing on Next-Generation Solar Electric Propulsion System

Photo Source - Google

NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne are testing a new advanced Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system.

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The groundbreaking propulsion technology, set to debut in 2025, will make NASA's lunar station, Gateway, the most powerful SEP spacecraft.

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Gateway is key to NASA's Artemis Program, aiming to bring the first woman and person of color to the Moon.

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Clayton Kachele, the AEPS project manager, said, AEPS is a next-generation technology.

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The AEPS needs rigorous testing for deployment certification on Gateway.

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– AEPS engineer, Rohit Shastry, stressed the testing campaign's importance, calling it the final leg before thruster testing.

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A second qualification unit arriving at NASA in 2024 will simulate the AEPS's conditions during Gateway's orbit-raising and transition to lunar orbit.

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Kachele explained the need for speed in the process, aiming to prove successful operations before PPE's launch.

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This high-power electric propulsion technology could greatly enhance future crewed missions and deep space exploration.

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