Pro SEDS Plasma Contactor System Small Business Innovation

Pro. SEDS Plasma Contactor System Small Business Innovation Research Electric Propulsion Laboratory, Inc. Monument, CO INNOVATION A propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System (Pro. SEDS) flight program will demonstrate and validate the current collecting capability of a bare wire electrodynamic tether. The Pro. SEDS mission represents one of the first scheduled demonstrations of hollow cathode use in facilitating tether power generation in space. ACCOMPLISHMENTS u The SBIR effort has brought several successful products to both the ground-based and space-based commercial market. Commercial products include hollow cathodes and hollow cathode systems capable of producing specially designed plasmas. COMMERCIALIZATION EPL's 250 F (flight) hollow cathodes. Various products have been developed directly or indirectly through the SBIR program: u The Hollow Cathode Plasma Contactor (HCPC) system has been developed as an effective tool for providing plasma electron emission currents for electrodynamic tether current applications and as a plasma contactor for very large space structures. u The Stop High Intensity Electric Discharges (SHIELD) system has been developed as the last line of defense for any spacecraft whose passive systems are overwhelmed by an extremely hazardous charging environment. SHIELD acts like an onboard fire extinguisher that immediately neutralizes any unbalanced surface charge accumulation that is threatening the spacecraft. u The Space Flight Hollow Cathode (SFHC) technology is a breakthrough in providing reliable, cost-effective sources of plasma electrons in a low-mass robust design configuration. Designed specifically for space applications, the EPL 250 units have the high plasma electron emission current capability required to support plasma contactor, electrodynamic tether, and electric propulsion thruster applications. The EPL 175 F unit has a moderate plasma electron emission current capability, with low gas flow and input power requirements. Marshall Space Flight Center Subtopic: 07 -05, Space Environmental Effects September 2001 - SS-8 -056 GOVERNMENT/SCIENCE APPLICATIONS u The HCPC will be used on the Pro. SEDS mission as a plasma contactor for an electrodynamic tether. Flight is planned for 2002. u A specialized SHIELD system is proposed for science spacecraft charge neutralization on a MIDEX connections science mission. Flight is proposed for about 2006. u A multi-function version of the SHIELD system is under development for the Department of Defense. Contacts: MSFC: Tom Knight, 256 -544 -5353 EPLI: Martha Aston, 719 -481 -4411 1996 Phase II, NAS 8 -98065 Phase III, NAS 8 -98211