High Impulse Electric Upper Stage for Small Launch Vehicles

Busek Co. Inc. proposes to develop a high total impulse electric upper stage for small launch vehicles.nbsp; The stage will be propelled by Busekrsquo;s 600 W Hall thruster. With xenon, which is the baseline propellant, the nominal specific impulse is 1500 s. The thruster may also be fueled by low cost krypton or high density iodine.nbsp; Power will be provided by solar arrays.nbsp; Total impulse will be sufficient to move a payload from low Earth orbit (LEO) to low Lunar orbit (LLO).In Phase I, Busek will work with NASA and launch vehicle suppliers to design the upper stage.nbsp; Phase I will include a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) level design for a flight-like system and a near-Completion Design Review (CDR) level design for the prototype system.nbsp; The phase 1 report will include a mapping of key performance parameters (mass, power, cost, etc.) from the prototype to the flight design, along with potential opportunities for technology demonstration and commercialization.nbsp;In Phase II, the design of the stage will be completed, and key elements of the prototype propulsion system will be fabricated and tested. The thruster will undergo delta-qualification testing as required.nbsp; At the end of Phase II, Busek will deliver key elements of an integrated prototype propulsion system that could be ground or flight tested as part of a post-Phase II effort.nbsp; These will include, at minimum, a thruster and discharge power converter.