Advancing Ion Thruster Technology for Efficient and Sustained Spacecraft Acceleration: A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26821/IJSHRE.14.05.2026.140504Keywords:
ion thrusters, electric propulsion, sustained acceleration, spacecraft propulsion, grid erosion, xenon, iodine, power processing units, deep-space missionsAbstract
Ion thrusters are the most advanced of all electric propulsion systems. They provide the capability of extended thrust operations in the vacuum of space that can change the velocity of the spacecraft. It is no longer an open question if ion propulsion is a usable systems technology. The question now is what needs to be done to make ion thrusters more practical to utilize. The technology also needs to be more applicable to science and cargo missions and more scaled to fit future small deep-space missions. It was their goal to address these questions in the context of ion thrusters. This review uses early texts, NASA technical reports, wall test results, and in-flight demonstration results to evaluate the current state of technology. It also identifies what design levers most contribute to sustained propulsion. According to those texts, changes to power architecture, lifetime engineering, propellant and feed systems, and control at the spacecraft level are where most of the progress has occurred. The flight testing of the ion propulsion systems on Deep Space 1 and Dawn, along with the NEXT test, showed the capability of ion engines and how they provide extended endurance. The review also points to this ion propulsion research and the trade-offs associated with thermal and material constraints on space systems. The review strongly suggests that the future of ion propulsion research will be in the trade-offs associated with erosion resistance, autonomy, storage, and efficiency.
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