BHT-600 LEO to GEO Electric Propulsion System Shipped

The first BHT-600 modular propulsion Hall thruster with the capability of raising small satellites from low earth orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous orbit (GEO) and beyond has been shipped by Busek to an unnamed customer. The BHT-600 Hall effect thruster system is the first to offer such capability, according to the company.

"With this system, ESPA-class satellites, and small satellite constellations, roughly 340 – 500 pounds in size, will be able to execute high-velocity maneuvers.

Vlad Hruby, president of Busek.

Hall thrusters are one form of highly efficient spacecraft electric propulsion which utilize solar energy and very small amounts of propellant to create thrust. The undisclosed customer ordered the system roughly twelve months ago for a Government mission launching later this year.

The BHT-600 thruster design previously demonstrated a record-breaking 7,000-hour ground test, an activity supported by NASA's Game Changing Development Office and the Space Technology Mission Directorate. The long-duration ground test was performed at NASA Glenn Research Center as part of a NASA Space Act Agreement. There, the thruster was independently tested in the simulated vacuum of space, processing roughly 155 pounds of xenon propellant before the test was terminated.

"The BHT-600 is a highly capable and robust solution that's a perfect fit for many upcoming small satellite missions," said Vlad Hruby, president of Busek. "With this system, ESPA-class satellites, and small satellite constellations, roughly 340 – 500 pounds in size, will be able to execute high-velocity maneuvers including orbit-raising, near-earth object rendezvous, and extend the life of GEO, MEO, and LEO spacecraft. The system is also an ideal fit to power electric upper stages on small launch vehicles."

The BHT-600 is designed for operation from 400W to 1kW in power, and has been tested for thousands of hours on traditional and next-generation propellants including xenon, krypton, and iodine. The modular flight system features a Busek-designed radiation tolerant power processor with variable output, xenon feed system, and long-life thruster assembly. The BHT-600 joins Busek's family of flight qualified industry-leading propulsion solutions, including Hall effect thrusters, electrospray thrusters, and iodine fueled ion engine systems.

(Image provided with Busek news release)