Status of microwave discharge ion engines on hayabusa spacecraft

Hitoshi Kuninaka*, Kazutaka Nishiyama, Yukio Shimizu, Satoshi Hosoda, Hiroyuki Koizumi, Ju N.Ichiro Kawaguchi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The μ10 cathode-less electron cyclotron resonance ion engines made the Hayabusa spacecraft rendezvous with the asteroid Itokawa in 2005. Though the spacecraft was seriously damaged after the successful soft-landing and lift-off, the xenon cold gas jets from the ion engines rescued the Hayabusa. New attitude stabilization method using a single reaction wheel, the ion beam jets, and the solar pressure was established and enabled the homeward journey aiming the Earth return on 2010. The total accumulated operational time of the ion engines reaches 28,000 hours at the end of May 2007.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCollection of Technical Papers - 43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference
PublisherAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc.
Pages1885-1891
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)1563479036, 9781563479038
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007
Externally publishedYes
Event43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference - Cincinnati, OH, United States
Duration: 8 Jul 200711 Jul 2007

Publication series

NameCollection of Technical Papers - 43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference
Volume2

Conference

Conference43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityCincinnati, OH
Period8/07/0711/07/07

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