Development of hall thruster propulsion system for STSAT-3 application

Science and technology satellite-3 (STSAT-3) is being developed and is scheduled for launch in 2011. One of the primary objectives of its mission is to verify the performance of a hall thruster propulsion system (HPS) that uses xenon gas. According to its major functions, the HPS can be divided into several sub-modules. This paper presents the development and qualification of the hall effect thruster propulsion subsystem that includes a xenon feed system (XFS). The xenon feed system regulates the pressure down from the xenon propellant tank and supplies the xenon flows to the anode and cathode. The technology and xenon feed system developed for the STSAT-3 spacecraft will also be applicable to a variety of future electronic propulsion systems and micro-satellites. Details related to the overall development and performance results of the HPS are presented in this paper.