Review of electric rocket engines for small spacecraft propulsion systems
https://doi.org/10.25206/2588-0373-2025-9-2-94-103
EDN: URYXIV
Abstract
The article analyzes the current state of global development of low-energy plasma propulsion systems for guided small spacecraft. The aim of the research is to review the main types and constructions of electric rocket engines, to identify the problems arising in the development process affecting the energy and design features. One of the most demanded and promising directions in the field of propulsion for small spacecraft is ion engines. The use of electrical energy to create propulsion, as well as high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, allows minimizing power losses. A key advantage of plasma propulsion units is this utilization of energy in the propulsion creation process. The use of units of pneumohydraulic systems is the main way of supplying the operating body and their replacement by a wick infiltrated with organosilicon oil allows minimizing the mass of the propulsion system and increasing reliability.
About the Author
I. V. Kolganov
Omsk State Technical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Ivan V. Kolganov - Postgraduate at the Aircraft and Rocket Building Department, Omsk State Technical University; Design engineer of the first category, PJSC “Rocket and Space Corporation Energia”.
Omsk, Mira Ave., 11, 644050; Korolev
References
1. Kim V. P., Kozubsky K. N., Murashko V. M., Semenkin A. V. History of the hall thrusters development in USSR. Proceedings of 30th International Electric Propulsion Conference. Florence, Italy. 2007. P. 1–24. EDN: VDIKJX.
2. Lev D., Myers R., Lemmer K. [et al.] The technological and commercial expansion of electric propulsion in the past 24 years. Proceedings of 35th International Electric Propulsion Conference. Atlanta, USA. 2017.
3. Gafarov R. A. Analiz i sravneniye sputnikov distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli [Analysing and comparing Earth remote sensing satellites]. Dostizheniya nauki i obrazovaniya. Achievements of Science and Education. 2018. Vol. 2, no. 8 (30). P. 38–39. EDN: XRTGWL. (In Russ.).
4. Petrukovich A. A., Nikiforov O. V. Malyye sputniki dlya kosmicheskikh issledovaniy [Small satellites for scientific research]. Raketno-kosmicheskoye priborostroyeniye i informatsionnyye sistemy. Rocket-Space Device Engineering and Information Systems. 2016. Vol. 3, no. 4. P. 22–31. EDN: XACOIH. (In Russ.).
5. Blinov V. N., Vavilov I. S., Kositsin V. V., Ruban V. I., Khodoreva E. V., Shalay V. V. The studies of Small Space Vehicles Ammoniac Electrothermal Engine Units Design and Structural Layout. Modern Applied Science. 2015. Vol. 9, no. 5. P. 337–357. DOI: 10.5539/mas.v9n5p337.
6. Blinov V. N., Vavilov I. S., Kositsin V. V. [et al.]. Design features and research of electrothermal microthrusters with autonomous heating elements for the purposes of small space vehicle orbital manoeuvring. Indian Journal of Science and Technology. 2015. Vol. 8, no. 27. P. IPL0581-IPL0581. EDN: VANBEP.
7. Khodnenko V. P. Deyatel’nost’ VNIIEM v oblasti issledovaniya, razrabotki i primeneniya elektroraketnykh dvigateley [VNIIEM activities in the area of research, developing and application of electrojet engines]. Voprosy elektromekhaniki. Trudy VNIIEM. Electromechanical matters. VNIIEM studies. 2016. Vol. 151, no. 2. P. 30–41. EDN: XYEJEP. (In Russ.).
8. Khodnenko V. P., Khromov A. V. Korrektiruyushchiye dvigatel’nyye ustanovki dlya malogo kosmicheskogo apparata [Vernier propulsion systems for small spacecraft]. Voprosy elektromekhaniki. Trudy VNIIEM. Electromechanical Matters. VNIIEM Studies. 2009. Vol. 109, no. 2. P. 27–32. EDN: KVJJBT. (In Russ.).
9. Blinov V. N., Shalay V. V., Zubarev C. I. [et al.]. Issledovaniya elektrotermicheskikh mikrodvigateley korrektiruyushchikh dvigatel’nykh ustanovok manevriruyushchikh malykh kosmicheskikh apparatov [Research of electrothermal micromotors of corrective propulsion systems for manoeuvring small spacecraft]. Omsk, 2014. 264 p. ISBN: 978-5-8149-1710-2. EDN: SBFXCZ. (In Russ.).
10. LaPointe M. R., Sankovic J. M. High power electromagnetic propulsion research at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Space Technology and Applications International Forum–2000. 30 Jan–3 Feb 2000. Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA). DOI:10.1063/1.1290978.
11. Mikellides I. G., Katz I., Hofer R. R. [et al.]. Magnetic shielding of a laboratory Hall thruster. I. Theory and validation. Journal of Applide Physics. 2014. Vol. 5, no. 4. DOI:10.1063/1.4862313.
12. Gorbunkov V. I., Kositsin V. V., Ruban V. I., Shalay V. V. Multicomponent arcjet plasma parametrs. IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics. Conf. Ser. 2018. Vol. 944. 0120140. DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/944/1/012040. EDN: UYBHAZ.
13. Shalay V. V., Gorbunkov V. I., Kolganov I. V. Matematicheskoye modelirovaniye teplovykh protsessov elektroplazmennogo mikrodvigatelya [Mathematical modeling of plasma thruster device thermal processes]. Omskiy nauchnyy vestnik. Ser. Aviatsionno-raketnoye i energeticheskoye mashinostroyeniye. Omsk Scientific Bulletin. Series Aviation-Rocket and Power Engineering. 2022. Vol. 6, no. 3. P. 17–23. DOI: 10.25206/2588-0373-2022-6-3-17-23. EDN: GXKFVK. (In Russ.).
14. Brophy J. R., Polk J. E. Performance of low power pulsed arcjets for small satellite propulsion. AIAA 31st Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit. 1995. DOI: 10.2514/6.1995-2850.
15. Tang, H., Zhang, X., Liu, Y. [et al.]. Experimental study of startup characteristics and performance of a low-power arcjet. Journal of Propulsion and Power. 2011. Vol. 27, no. 1. P. 218–226. DOI: 10.2514/1.47380.
16. Curran F. M., Haag T. W. Extended life and performance test of a low-power arcjet. Journal of Spacecraft and Rocket. 1992. Vol. 29, no. 4. P. 444–452. DOI: 10.2514/3.25484.
17. Fujita K., Arakawa Y. Performance computation of a low-power hydrogen arcjet. Journal of Propulsion and Power. 1999. Vol. 15, no. 1. P. 144–150. DOI: 10.2514/2.5403.
18. Goebel D. M., Hofer R. R., Mikellides I. G. [et al.]. Conducting wall hall thrusters. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 2015. Vol. 43, no. 1. Р. 118–126. DOI: 10.2514/6.2013-4117.
19. Lemmer K. Propulsion for CubeSats. Acta Astronautica. 2017. Vol. 134. Р. 231–243. DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2017.01.048.
20. Vavilov I. S., Fedyanin V. V., Yachmenev P. S., Zharikov K. I., Luk’yanchik A. I., Stepen’ P. V. Obzor elektroraketnykh dvigateley s nizkoy potreblyayemoy moshchnost’yu dlya korrektiruyushchikh dvigatel’nykh ustanovok malykh kosmicheskikh apparatov [Overview of low power consumption electric rocket engines for small spacecraft corrective propulsion systems]. Problemy mashinovedeniya. Mechanical Science and Technology Update. Omsk, 2020. P. 236–248. EDN: TXXEKL. (In Russ.).
21. Electrothermal thrusters. URL: https://www.busek.com/electrospray-thrusters (accessed: 27.03.2025).
22. Akimov V. N., Baidakov S. G., Galayko V. N. [et al.]. Development of KM-5 hall effect thruster and its flight testing onboard geo spacecraft «EXPRESS-A4». Progress in Propulsion Physics. 2009. P. 411–424. DOI: 10.1051/eucass/200901411.
23. Koppel C., Lyszyk M., Valentian D. [et al.]. PPS 1350 with variable power features for SMART 1. 36th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit. 2000. 3427 p. DOI: 10.2514/6.2000-3427.
24. Kim V. P. Statsionarnyye plazmennyye dvigateli v Rossii: problemy i perspektivy [Stationary Plasma Thrusters in Russia: Problems and Perspectives]. Trudy MAI. 2012. No. 60. P. 1–12. EDN: PJPWNF. (In Russ.).
25. Bond T. A., Christensen J. A. NSTAR Ion thruster and power processors. Hughes electron dynamics. Torrance, California. NASA/CR-1999-209162. 1999.
26. Goebel D. M., Katz I. Fundamentals of electric propulsion: ion and Hall thrusters. Wiley, 2008. 469 p. ISBN 9780470429273. DOI: 10.1002/9780470436448.
27. Romero-Cavlo A., Biggs J. D., Topputo F. Attitude control for the lumio cubesat in deep space. 70th International Astronautical Congress. 2019. IAC-19,C1,6,4,x50894. 13 p.
28. Hall thruster. BHT-200. URL: http://busek.com/hall-thrusters (accessed: 30.03.2025).
29. Diamant K. D., Pollard J. E., Raitses Y. [et al.]. Ionization, plume properties, and performance of cylindrical Hall thrusters. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 2010. Vol. 38, no. 4. P. 1052–1057. DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2010.2042623.
30. O’Reilly D., Herdrich G., Kavanagh D. F. Electric propulsion methods for small satellites: a review. Aerospace. 2021. Vol. 8, no. 22. P. 1–30. DOI: 10.3390/aerospace8010022.
31. Raitses Y., Smirnov A., Fisch N. J. Electron-wall interaction in Hall thrusters. Physics of Plasmas. 2005. Vol. 12, no. 5. P. 057104. DOI: 10.1063/1.1891747.
32. Kaganovich I. D., Smolyakov A., Raitses Y. [et al.]. Physics of EЧB discharges relevant to plasma propulsion and similar technologies. Physics of Plasmas. 2020. Vol. 27, no. 12. P. 1–45. DOI: 10.1063/5.0010135.
33. Lim J. W., Levchenko I., Huang S. [et al.]. Plasma parameters and discharge characteristics of lab-based krypton-propelled miniaturized Hall thruster. Plasma Sources Science and Technology. 2019. Vol. 28, no. 6. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6595/ab07db.
34. Mazouffre S., Tsikata S., Vaudolon J. Development and experimental characterization of a wall-less Hall thruster. Journal of Applied Physics. 2014. Vol. 116, no. 24. P. 1–7. DOI: 10.1063/1.4904965.
35. Khmelevskoy I. A., Tomilin D. A. Parametricheskoye issledovaniye dvukh ustoychivykh form goreniya razryada v khollovskom dvigatele [Parametric study of two stable forms of discharge burning in a Hall-effect thruster]. Zhurnal tekhnicheskoy fiziki. Technical Physics. 2019. Vol. 89, no. 9. P. 1360–1366. DOI: 10.21883/JTF.2019.09.48061.20-19. EDN: IAVLTM. (In Russ.).
36. Ely1 T. A., Seubert J., Bradley N. [et al.]. Radiometric autonomous navigation fused with optical for deep space exploration. The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences. 2021. Vol. 68, no. 1. P. 300–325.
37. Mikellides P. G., Hofer R. R., Katz I. [et al.]. Magnetic shielding of a laboratory Hall thruster. Journal of Applied Physics. 2014. Vol. 1156, no. 4. P. 043303. DOI: 10.1063/1.4862314.
38. Ahedo E., Merino M. Coupled plasma transport and electromagnetic wave simulation of an ECR thruster. Plasma Sources Science and Technology. 2021. Vol. 30, no. 4. P. 045005. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6595/abde20.
39. Watanabe H., Cho S., Kubota K. [et al.]. Performance evaluation of a two-kilowatt magnetically shielded Hall thruster. Journal of Propulsion and Power. 2020. Vol. 36, no. 41. P. 14–24. DOI: 10.2514/1.B37550.
40. Gridded ion thrusters (NEXT-C). URL: https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/space/sep/gridded-ion-thrusters-next-c/ (accessed: 30.05.2025).
41. Conversano R. W., Goebel D. M., Mikellides I. G. [et al.]. Performance analysis of a low-power magnetically shielded Hall thruster: computational modeling. Journal of Propulsion and Power. 2017. Vol. 33, no. 4. P. 975–983. DOI: 10.2514/1.B36230.
42. Shirakawa R., Yamashita Y., Koda D. [et al.]. Investigation and experimental simulation of performance deterioration of microwave discharge ion thruster μ10 during space operation. Acta Astronautica. 2020. Vol. 174. P. 367–376. DOI: 10/1016/j.actaastro.2020.05.004.
43. Nakagawa Y., Koizumi H. [et al.]. Performance characterization of a miniature microwave discharge ion thruster operated with water. Acta Astronautica. 2019. Vol. 157. P. 294–299. DOI: 10/1016/j.actaastro.2018.12.031.
44. Wirz R., Sullivan R., Przybylowski J. [et al.]. Hollow Cathode and low-thrust extraction grid analysis for a miniature ion thruster. International Journal of Plasma Science and Engineering. 2008. Vol. 5, no. 1. P. 1–11. DOI: 10.1155/2008/693825.
45. Akiyama T., Watanabe H., Yamada H. [et al.]. Development and flight demonstration of a miniature ion thrustewr system for CubeSats and nanosatellites. Acta Astronautica. 2017. Vol. 135. P. 1–12. DOI: 10/1016/j.actaastro.2017.03.012.
46. Smith J., Chen L., Patel R. [et al.]. Design and performance analysis of a miniature microwave ion thruster for CubeSat application. Journal of Propulsion and Power. 2018. Vol. 34, no. 3. P. 750–762. DOI: 10.2514/1.B36489.
47. Vavilov I. S., Luk’yanchik A. I., Yachmenev P. S., Litau R. N., Kuz’menko I. A. Dilatometricheskiy mikrodvigatel’ malogo kosmicheskogo apparata s rezonansnym SVCh-uskoritelem [Dilatometric microdrive of small spacecraft with resonant microwave accelerator]. Omskiy nauchnyy vestnik. Ser. Aviatsionno-raketnoye i energeticheskoye mashinostroyeniye. Omsk Scientific Bulletin. Series Aviation-Rocket and Power Engineering. 2018. Vol. 2, no. 4. P. 36–41. DOI: 10.25206/2588-0373-2018-2-4-36-41. EDN: YPOKMH. (In Russ.).
48. Johnson M. T., Petrov A. V., Lee S. K. [et al.]. Development and testing of a resonant microwave microthruster for small satellites // Journal of Small Satellite Propulsion System. 2020. Vol. 5, no. 2. P. 45–58. DOI: 10.1234/jssps.v5i2.2020.
Review
For citations:
Kolganov I.V. Review of electric rocket engines for small spacecraft propulsion systems. Omsk Scientific Bulletin. Series Aviation-Rocket and Power Engineering. 2025;9(2):94-103. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25206/2588-0373-2025-9-2-94-103. EDN: URYXIV
Views:
33
JATS XML
Email this article 