Aerojet Rocketdyne and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are conducting qualification testing of an advanced solar electric propulsion vehicle designed to power the agency’s future Gateway lunar space station.
During the testing campaign, the team will use two qualification models nearly identical to the Advanced Electric Propulsion System built by Aerojet Rocketdyne to verify that it meets requirements to be used on Gateway’s power and propulsion element, NASA said Wednesday.
One of the model thrusters will undergo acceptance testing to ensure that it was built correctly before being subject to shock, extreme vibration and thermal conditions similar to actual launch and flight operations.
The second qualification unit will undergo a multi-year wear test beginning in 2024 to evaluate how the AEPS will perform during Gateway’s initial orbit raising and transition to lunar orbit.
NASA expects the thrusters to provide 12 kilowatts of propulsive power to maneuver the multi-purpose outpost during its planned 15-year mission.
