An electric Hall thruster, identical to those that will be used to power NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, is tested at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The blue glow is produced by xenon propellant, a neutral gas used in car headlights and plasma televisions. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, which will launch in August 2022, will travel to its target in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter under the power of super efficient electric propulsion. This photo captures an identical Electric Hall Propeller that will be used to power the Psyche spacecraft. This photo was taken in POTThe Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on May 20, 2020 with an iPhone, through the thick window of a vacuum chamber used to simulate the deep space environment.
The propeller works by turning xenon gas, a neutral gas used in car headlights, and plasma Televisions, in xenon ions. As xenon ions accelerate out of the propeller, they create the thrust that will propel the spacecraft. Xenon plasma emits a blue glow, seen here, while it works. An observer in space traveling behind Psyche would see the blue glow of the plasma behind the spacecraft. The solar arrays will provide the electricity that powers the thrusters. Hall thrusters will be used for the first time beyond lunar orbit, demonstrating that they could play a role in supporting future missions to deep space.
Arizona State University at Tempe leads the Psyche mission. JPL He is responsible for overall mission management, system engineering, integration, and mission testing and operations. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California is providing the chassis for the high-powered solar powered propulsion spacecraft.
