The paper examines some of the benefits to be gained in using Stationary Plasma Thruster (SPT) propulsion onboard small spacecraft. SPTs were developed in Russia, and have an extensive flight history, with over 70 thrusters flown since 1971. A joint venture company is qualifying a complete propulsion subsystem incorporating Russian thrusters with western electronics and propellant feed components. The availability of thrusters which operate with input powers under 500 watts, as well as the simple, compact design of the SPT makes it well suited for application on small satellites. An interplanetary mission proposed to NASA\u27s Middle Explorer (MIDEX) program, uses SPT primary propulsion to achieve its mission goals. A detailed preliminary design of the system has been prepared, showing that a compact SPT propulsion subsystem easily integrates into a 200 kg carrier spacecraft. Several other application could benefit from using a SPT providing increased utility or reducing overall mission costs.
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