Tue, Apr 15, 2003
Boeing EDD Wins NASA Contracts
Boeing Electronic Dynamic Devices, Inc. of Torrance (CA) has
been awarded three new contracts under NASA’s In-Space
Propulsion Technologies program for the development of advanced
xenon ion propulsion technologies. The projects include the
Carbon-Based Ion Optics project; the NASA Evolutionary Xenon
Thruster system; and the High Power Electric Propulsion
project.
"EDD is proud to support NASA on this leading edge technology,"
said Chris Stephens, vice president and general manager. "These
awards are a positive reflection on the dedication and capability
of our engineering team and the investments we have made."
EDD will lead a team in the development of advanced Carbon-Based
Ion Optics, or CBIO. These are the critical components of
high-power gridded xenon ion thrusters that have a traditionally
limited lifetime. A two-phase effort, the first phase entails a
16-month effort to design, fabricate and test ion
optics made from carbon-carbon composites and pyrolytic
graphite. The CBIO project also includes the development and
validation of an Ion Optics Lifetime Computer Model to predict the
performance and lifetime of candidate grid designs.
The second phase is a 12½-month extension
period to develop and test carbon based ion optics designs for
possible use on the next-generation ion engine. EDD is teamed with
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and NASA Glenn Research Center
on the CBIO Project.
EDD also was awarded a contract to support NASA Glenn Research
Center on the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster system, or NEXT. The
NEXT project is also a two-phase effort to develop a next
generation high power ion propulsion system for new space science
missions. The first phase is a one-year effort to design, build and
test initial Ion Thrusters, Propellant Systems and Power Processing
Units. EDD has sole responsibility for the design and development
of the power processing units as well as being a member of the
thruster and propellant system team. The second phase is a
2½-year option to complete hardware development, integrate
the components into a full-scale system and perform thruster wear
tests.
The third award named EDD as a member of the NASA Glenn Research
Center team for the High Power Electric Propulsion project. This
program will develop and test technologies for high specific
impulse, 25 to 30 kilowatt, gridded xenon ion thrusters, two-stage
Hall thrusters, power processing units and propellant control
systems. EDD will perform the power processing unit design and
analysis for the project system and participate in the thruster and
propellant system technologies.
The designs that will be developed and demonstrated on these
three programs over the next 2½-years are the critical
technologies needed for development of very high power (100kW to
250kW) nuclear electric propulsion systems for NASA’s future
deep space missions.
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