Market-ready: Electric propulsion systems 'made in Germany'

DLR German Aerospace Center
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Market-ready: Electric propulsion systems 'made in Germany'


Electric propulsion systems are considered to be particularly promising space technology. Although they produce less thrust, their fuel efficiency is significantly higher than that of conventional chemical engines. Satellites can thus be made considerably lighter and more durable. Additionally, the payload capacity can be increased because of the lower fuel mass needed. Electric engines are therefore of particular interest to interplanetary long-term missions – or for high-performance communications satellites.

Germany has been conducting research into electric propulsion systems for several decades. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) Space Administration in Bonn has been funding the industrial development of electric engines for several years with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy (BMWi). And now, this comes with commercial success.


Full article with images: http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-24101/year-all/#/gallery/28524

DLR Space research: http://www.dlr.de/space

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