Focusing Magnetic Field for Hall Effect Thruster

Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)

Description

Fabricate a thruster. Perform tests to assess relationships between plume divergence, thruster efficiency and control parameters. Devise laws for designing a focusing magnetic field.

Benefits

This technology could increase efficiently by 15%, decrease propellant mass by 38% and yield a 22% increase in payload mass. This could reduce a nine-month spiral to GEO to seven months.

Details

Technology area	Propulsion Systems > Electric Space Propulsion > Electrostatic Propulsion
Program	Center Innovation Fund: GRC CIF (GRC CIF)
Lead organization	Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
Start date	2015-10-01
End date	2016-09-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Wensheng Huang — wensheng.huang@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.