Power and Propulsion Element
The Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) started development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory during the now canceled Asteroid Redirect Mission. The original concept was a robotic, high performance solar electric spacecraft that would retrieve a multi-ton boulder from an asteroid and bring it to lunar orbit for study.[1] When ARM was cancelled, the solar electric propulsion was repurposed for the Gateway.[2][3] The PPE will allow access to the entire lunar surface and act as a space tug for visiting craft.[4] It will also serve as the command and communications center of the Gateway.[5][6] The PPE is intended to have a mass of 8-9 tons and the capability to generate 50 kW[7] of solar electric power for its ion thrusters, which can be supplemented by chemical propulsion.[8] It is currently planned to launch on a commercial launch vehicle in November 2023 with HALO module.[9][10][11][12] In May 2019, Maxar Technologies was contracted by NASA to manufacture this module, which will also supply the station with electrical power and is based on Maxar's 1300 series satellite bus. The PPE will use Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) Hall-effect thrusters.[13][14] Maxar was awarded a firm-fixed price contract of US$375 million to build the PPE. NASA is supplying the PPE with an S-band communications system to provide a radio link with nearby vehicles and a passive docking adapter to receive the Gateway's future utilization module.[15]
References
- ^ Greicius, Tony (2016-09-20). "JPL Seeks Robotic Spacecraft Development for Asteroid Redirect Mission". NASA. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "NASA closing out Asteroid Redirect Mission". SpaceNews.com. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission". www.jpl.nasa.gov. NASA. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "NASA Awards Artemis Contract for Lunar Gateway Power, Propulsion" (Press release). NASA. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Deep Space Gateway and Transport: Concepts for Mars, Moon Exploration Unveiled". Science News. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
- ^ Clark, Stephen. "NASA chooses Maxar to build keystone module for lunar Gateway station". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (3 November 2017). "NASA issues study contracts for Deep Space Gateway element". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ Chris Gebhardt. "NASA finally sets goals, missions for SLS – eyes multi-step plan to Mars". NASASpaceflight. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/05/06/nasa-plans-to-launch-first-two-gateway-elements-on-same-rocket/ Archived 6 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine - 7 May 2020
- ^ "NASA FY 2019 Budget Overview" (PDF). NASA. 9 February 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
Supports launch of the Power and Propulsion Element on a commercial launch vehicle as the first component of the LOP-Gateway.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (30 March 2018). "NASA considers acquiring more than one gateway propulsion module". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (May 23, 2019). "NASA selects Maxar to build first Gateway element". SpaceNews. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ Status of Advanced Electric Propulsion Systems for Exploration Missions. Archived 13 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine R. Joseph Cassady, Sam Wiley, Jerry Jackson. Aerojet Rocketdyne. October 2018
- ^ Clark, Stephen (May 24, 2019). "NASA chooses Maxar to build keystone module for lunar Gateway station". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.