MISSION SCENARIOS FOR HIGH-POWER ELECTRIC PROPULSION

High-power Solar Electric Propulsion based on Hall thrusters of the 20kW-class will represent in the next decade an attractive propulsion option for large platforms, thanks to the foreseeable growth in the available on-board power. In addition, electric propulsion is seen today as a key enabling technology within the future deep-space and Mars exploration missions for cargo and logistic functions in support to manned missions. The paper focuses on the preliminary definition of a range of mission scenarios for space exploration and transportation, in which high-power electric propulsion can be considered as a key enabler, to understand and highlight high level requirements of the electric propulsion technology. Starting from the mission statement and objectives, space exploration and transportation scenarios are defined through the derivation of requirements, identification of feasible platforms and design of reference missions.