Flying with the SEP

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has submitted a mission concept study to NASA for demonstrating solar electric propulsion (SEP) technologies in space.

Credit: Ball Aerospace

Ball Aerospace was one of five companies awarded up to $600,000 by NASA in September 2011, to formulate a mission concept to demonstrate the solar electric propulsion technologies, capabilities, and infrastructure required for sustainable and affordable human presence in space. NASA will use the studies to plan and implement a future flight demonstration mission to test and validate those science technologies and capabilities.

The current study focused on developing concepts that will be using technology at NASA Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or greater. Ball’s mission concept supports NASA’s goal to elevate SEP technologies in order to create more efficient and powerful solar-powered flight systems.

Sources:

• Ball Aerospace Submits Solar Electric Propulsion Concept to NASA, News Release, May 16, 2012
• Concept Design of High Power Solar Electric Propulsion Vehicles for Human Exploration, NASA/TM—2011-217281 (December 2011)