Busek, a company that is engaged in applied research, hardware development, and specialty manufacturing in space propulsion emphasizing electric propulsion, power electronics, and material science has introduced a new Hall Effect thruster for geostationary orbit satellites.
Busek’s BHT-1500 is a 2kW-class Hall Effect thruster with an innovative center-mounted cathode. Using novel design features like a two-piece “composite” anode and shortened dielectric channel, the BHT-1500 stands apart from other SPT designs.
Operation with the internally mounted cathode confers a number of advantages, including improved performance, reduced sensitivity of performance to cathode flow rate, and more efficient cathode-plume coupling. In addition, the thruster is less sensitive to vacuum facility background pressure and exhibits less plume divergence.
Thruster Performance
The life of the thruster extends well beyond the typical needs of GEO satellites and Busek’s design minimizes erosion via the use of a virtual magnetic field wall. The BHT-1500 thruster system operates in two modes; orbit-raising mode producing over 120 milliNewtons (mN) of thrust with 1,700 seconds total specific impulse (Isp) at 1,800 Watts (W) of power, and station-keeping mode producing more than 100 mN thrust and 1,900 seconds Isp.
Krypton Performance
Thruster testing was performed at Busek’s T8 facility to determine performance and operating efficiency with krypton propellant. The use of krypton increased specific impulse by approximately 140-190 s at equivalent power and voltage, but decrease total efficiency by 7% to 8%. The thruster can also be operated with Xenon and Iodine propellants.
The BHT-1500 offers class-leading efficiency over a huge range of throttle points. With plenty of thermal and magnetic margin for operation at high powers, this thruster is a flexible workhorse for small to medium-class satellites.
Click here to learn more about Busek's BHT-1500 Hall Effect thruster.
Click here to view other Hall Effect Thrusters and Monopropellant Thrusters from Busek.
