AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee Dr. Lyon (Brad) King (Committee Chair)

1. AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee Dr. Lyon (Brad) King (Committee Chair) Ron and Elaine Starr Professor of Space Systems Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 49931 lbking@mtu.edu

2. Electric Propulsion – The Technology of The Future Pulsed Inductive Thruster VASIMR Electric Propulsion Helicon Hall-effect Thrusters Ion Thrusters Microcavity Discharge Thruster Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster Field-reversed Configuration Lorentz-force Accelerator Electrospray Pulsed Plasma Thruster Resistojet Arcjet

3. Physics from www.startrek.com

4. Electric Propulsion – The Technology of Today AEHF SMART 1 Hayabusa Asteroid Itokawa Deep Space 1 Comet Borrelly

5. Tipping Point (noun) • The critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development • An addition or increment that, in itself, might not seem extraordinary but that unexpectedly is just the amount of additional change that will lead to a big effect

9. 2008

10. 2010

11. Tipping Point (noun) • The critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development • An addition or increment that, in itself, might not seem extraordinary but that unexpectedly is just the amount of additional change that will lead to a big effect There are many Level-4 Electric Propulsion Technologies that are at a tipping point. Electric Propulsion as a whole is in the process of tipping. Small input will yield disproportionately large displacement.

12. State-of-the Art in Electric Propulsion 2010 Pulsed Inductive VASIMR Ion Thrusters Hall Thrusters Electrospray MPD 4.5 kW 0.2-5 kW TRL 9 TRL 8 TRL 7 TRL 6 7.2 kW 10 W TRL 5 50 kW TRL 4 100 kW < 100 W 200 kW 200 kW < 100 W TRL VALLEY OF DEATH TRL 3 500 kW 500 kW 100 W 1,000 kW 1,000 kW TRL 2 1,000 kW TRL 1

13. State-of-the Art in Electric Propulsion 2020 Pulsed Inductive VASIMR Ion Thrusters Hall Thrusters Electrospray MPD 4.5 kW 0.2-5 kW TRL 9 TRL 8 TRL 7 TRL 6 7.2 kW 10 W TRL 5 50 kW TRL 4 100 kW < 100 W 200 kW 200 kW < 100 W TRL VALLEY OF DEATH TRL 3 500 kW 500 kW 100 W 1,000 kW 1,000 kW TRL 2 1,000 kW TRL 1

14. The EP Roadmap: Scaling Straightforward (adj): admitting no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning and leading to only one conclusion. vs. Easy (adj): capable of being accomplished with ease; posing no difficulty

15. Gaps Provide technology gaps that the roadmap did not cover • Potential Gap: Ground testing and development • In order to thrive EP technology programs must be active at prime contractors, small businesses, and multiple academic institutions • At present high-power EP will be ‘choked’ at 1, 2, or 3 available ground facilities • Some roadmap technologies will severely strain national xenon production capabilities, not to mention cost of raw material • NASA must consider alternatives to all-xenon architectures – what are they and what are the trades?

16. Current Membership of AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee Government Jet Propulsion Laboratory Glenn Research Center Marshall Spaceflight Center Air Force Research Laboratory Industry Academia