News | 25.09.2017

RIT 2X European space electric propulsion thrusters for Boeing

RIT 2X European space electric propulsion thrusters are selected for production order from Boeing for their new generation of electric propulsion satellites.

Boeing and ArianeGroup are jointly developing next generation of electric propulsion for satellites. GIE Radio Frequency Ion Thruster (RIT) technology will help to increase payload mass and reduce time to orbit for Boeing satellites.

Both companies are jointly developing a next-generation ion propulsion system based on the dual-mode Radio Frequency Ion Thruster (RIT) 2X subsystem. Germany via DLR’s Space Administration and Spain via CDTI (Spanish Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology) are supporting the development through their respective contributions to the European Space Agency (ESA) “ARTES” (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) programme as well as the German national space program.

The joint activity is combining Boeing’s long-lasting operational heritage and European expertise in RIT thruster technology design and development. Thanks to its high-thrust mode for orbit-raising operations, the RIT thruster system will enable Boeing to increase payload mass while reducing time-to-orbit on its satellites. Boeing is using its experience in on-orbit electric propulsion operations to update its satellite architectures for integration of the advanced RIT propulsion system.

The RIT 2X subsystem comprises the thruster itself, a high-power processing unit and a radio frequency generator. The subsystem successfully passed its preliminary design review milestone in mid-2016 and is moving towards a critical design review.

 

More info on ArianeGroup press releases link here