Electric propulsion firm Stellant develops low-power xenon ion thruster

(SpaceEnergy) US electric propulsion developer Stellant is developing an 8cm xenon gridded ion thruster for small satellites, with flight qualification planned for 2027.

The company disclosed the Xenon Ion Propulsion System (XIPS) in material published for the Small Satellite Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. The design targets low-power spacecraft requiring higher specific impulse and efficiency than may be achievable with comparable Hall-effect thrusters.

Stellant said gridded ion thrusters separate the ionisation and acceleration processes, allowing each stage to be optimised independently. The architecture can preserve higher specific impulse and efficiency as propulsion systems scale to lower electrical power, although at lower thrust density.

The company is applying its existing electric propulsion flight heritage to development of the 8cm XIPS and currently plans to complete flight qualification in 2027.

The paper compares the operating characteristics of low-power gridded ion and Hall-effect thrusters for small-satellite applications and identifies the new XIPS as Stellant’s development programme addressing that market.