PRESS RELEASE
Release Date : February 7, 2024
KARI Commences Development of
Large-Scale Electric Propulsion
Test Equipment for Deep Space
Exploration
- Establishment of Vacuum Test Equipment to Verify Performance
and Lifespan of Space Electric Propulsion Systems
□ The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as
"KARI," led by Director Lee Sang-ryul) has developed large-scale
"Electric Propulsion Test Equipment" using pure domestic technology
necessary for the development of electric propulsion systems that can
be used in artificial satellites, deep space exploration probes, and
other spacecraft. A dedication ceremony for the equipment was held at
the Hang Woo-yeon headquarters in Daejeon on February 7th
(Wednesday).
□ Electric propulsion systems, unlike chemical propulsion systems that
utilize combustion reactions, generate and accelerate plasma with
electrical energy to obtain thrust, significantly increasing fuel
efficiency and reducing the amount of onboard fuel. This technology
is essential for deep space exploration. Leveraging these advantages,
electric propulsion systems have been applied to low Earth orbit and
geostationary orbit satellites, including SpaceX's Starlink
satellites.
□ For the development of electric propulsion systems that must operate
for tens of thousands of hours in space, performance and lifespan
verification are essential. Specialized test equipment capable of
creating a vacuum environment with pressures below one-billionth of
atmospheric pressure for plasma generation via discharge, rapid
temperature control to transition between low and high temperatures,
and plasma diagnostics are required.
□ The electric propulsion test equipment constructed by KARI this time
has a diameter of 3.8 meters and a length of 10 meters, making it a
large-scale device that is only possessed by the United States,
Germany, France, Japan, Russia, and China in terms of scale.
Currently, tests are possible for electric propulsion systems with
thrusts of up to 200 millinewtons (mN), and KARI plans to gradually
upgrade the equipment to enable testing of electric propulsion
systems with thrusts of 1 newton (N), the world's highest level of
performance, by adding an ultra-low temperature disk*.
*A device designed to adsorb the propel ant ions generated by the electric propulsion
system onto a disk, maintaining a vacuum environment within the test equipment.
□ The development of this electric propulsion test equipment took three
years and approximately 4.2 billion won was invested, and it was
completed using purely domestic technology in collaboration with
domestic companies.
□ KARI plans to thoroughly manage the national asset of electric
propulsion test equipment and open it up to domestic industrial
companies and research institutions for joint utilization to be used
in future satellite development and deep space exploration.
□ Director Lee Sang-ryul of KARI expressed, "The development of this
large-scale electric propulsion test equipment will lay the
foundation for South Korea to possess independent capabilities in
electric propulsion system development and is expected to be a
catalyst for South Korea to leap to a world-class level in space
propulsion and space environment testing.“
Att. Photo of Large-Scale Electric Propulsion Test Equipment
Att.
Photo of Large-Scale Electric Propulsion Test
Equipment
Photo of EPISODE 3.8*(Side)
*Electric Propulsion In-Space Operation Demonstration Equipment – 3.8m in diameter
Photo of EPISODE 3.8(Front)