Busek delivers thrusters for NASA Lunar Gateway power and propulsion

Summary points:

• Busek Co. Inc. in Natick, Mass., delivered 6-kilowatt BHT-6000 thrusters to Maxar Space Systems in Palo Alto, Calif., for NASA’s Lunar Gateway.
• The thrusters form part of the Power and Propulsion Element’s SEP subsystem, paired with Maxar control electronics and three 12-kilowatt engines.
• Gateway will provide power, maneuvering, and communications as part of NASA’s Artemis lunar and Mars exploration plans.

NATICK, Mass. - Busek Co. Inc., a manufacturer of high-performance electric propulsion technology for spaceflight in Natick, Mass., and Maxar Space Systems in Palo Alto, Calif., said they have completed delivery of all 6-kilowatt flight thrusters for the Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) subsystem of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Lunar Gateway.

The BHT-6000 Hall effect thrusters are a central part of the electric propulsion package for the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE), which Maxar Space Systems is building for NASA. The spacecraft will operate in a highly elliptical Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit around the Moon. The PPE subsystem combines Maxar-built high-power control electronics, four Busek-built BHT-6000 thrusters, a feed system, and propellant storage. Alongside three larger 12-kilowatt engines, the full PPE SEP system will deliver about 30 percent more power than any previous in-space electric propulsion system.

Mission parameters 

The advanced propulsion will enable the PPE to perform orbit-raising, precise station-keeping, and maneuvering for Gateway, which will serve as a staging point for lunar surface missions and future crewed operations deeper into space. Busek’s technology is designed to provide high efficiency while reducing mass and propellant consumption, key factors for long-duration missions far from Earth.

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"We’re thrilled to have taken delivery of Busek’s BHT-6000 electric thrusters for the Lunar Gateway Program," said Taylor Winkelmann, Maxar Space Systems’ PPE program manager. "The SEP systems we evolved for PPE are amongst the highest power flight-qualified systems today, and they represent the state of the art in their class."

The PPE will also provide power distribution, attitude control, and communications relay for the Gateway outpost, which is a foundational element of NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis aims to return astronauts to the Moon later this decade and develop the infrastructure needed for eventual human missions to Mars. The PPE program is managed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, with Maxar Space Systems leading development from its facilities in Palo Alto and San Jose, Calif.