Issued patent
Small Spacecraft Electric Propulsion (SSEP) Technology Suite
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has expertise in small spacecraft electric propulsion (SSEP). NASA's SSEP project is developing technologies critical to expanding spacecraft capabilities and enabling ambitious new missions into deep space. Advanced SSEP technologies are based on the use of exceptionally fuel-efficient electrostatic Hall effect thrusters with optimized magnetic shielding. Low-power, high-throughput SSEP dramatically increases the capabilities of small spacecraft, and advanced magnetic circuit designs result in game-changing thruster performance. These advances can maximize reliability while minimizing launch cost. Innovators at GRC have developed a suite of SSEP technologies. GRC seeks commercial partners to help satisfy NASA exploration and science mission requirements while improving U.S. competitiveness in the global electric propulsion market and catalyzing innovation related to SSEP technology.