Electra is a satellite development project initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the first partnership project under its ARTES-33 programme. In conjunction with satellite operator SES and satellite builder OHB Systems, the Electra project seeks to develop, launch and validate in orbit an electric-only propulsion platform for geostationary communications satellites of below 3 tonnes launch mass. [1] Electra encompasses both a coordinated effort to develop a European full electric propulsion small geostationary satellite, and the implementation of a mission by SES providing flight heritage and in-orbit demonstration of the platform to gain market acceptance for the product. [2]
At the time the project was initialised, it was hoped that the first of these next-generation spacecraft would be launched as an SES craft by the end of 2018. [3] However, delays to the project have meant that the inaugural flight has been pushed to 2023. [4]
While electric engines have been fitted in recent years to scientific spacecraft and to communications satellites for station-keeping, there is a benefit to extending this use of electric propulsion to raising a satellite from its initial orbit after launch to its final intended geostationary orbit, a task currently usually undertaken by chemical rocket engines.
ESA's Artemis satellite was Europe's first experimental use of electric thrusters to raise a satellite to its target orbit. Artemis proved that electric thrusters are capable of performing the same task as conventional chemical propulsion but with up to 90% savings in fuel consumption. The Electra satellite will offer power consumption and communication capabilities equal to those offered by larger mid-size satellites while keeping the launch mass low enough for small launcher vehicles, or be used with a larger payload for the same launch mass, in both cases producing significant economic benefits. [2]
The Electra project was decided in November 2012 during a conference of ESA government ministers. [5]
In October 2013, ESA, SES and OHB signed a first private public partnership agreement for an initial one-year contract to define and develop the Electra platform. Magali Vaissiere, ESA's Director of Telecommunication and Integrated Applications said of the agreement, "“Electra is the first example of our Partner programme, where we are consolidating the model of partnerships with the private sector to help the introduction and adoption of innovative efficient solutions proposed by our industry". [6]
In March 2016, ESA, SES and OHB finally signed the contract to produce the Electra satellite platform. Some six years behind schedule, largely because of delays to OHB's SmallGEO platform on which Electra is based, the launch of the first Electra satellite is now expected to be in 2023. The Electra satellite is intended to fill a lightweight gap in the all-electric satellite products now offered by builders of larger craft. [4] [5] [7]
Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. In-space propulsion exclusively deals with propulsion systems used in the vacuum of space and should not be confused with space launch or atmospheric entry.
In spacecraft propulsion, a Hall-effect thruster (HET) is a type of ion thruster in which the propellant is accelerated by an electric field. Hall-effect thrusters are sometimes referred to as Hall thrusters or Hall-current thrusters. Hall-effect thrusters use a magnetic field to limit the electrons' axial motion and then use them to ionize propellant, efficiently accelerate the ions to produce thrust, and neutralize the ions in the plume. The Hall-effect thruster is classed as a moderate specific impulse space propulsion technology and has benefited from considerable theoretical and experimental research since the 1960s.
An ion thruster, ion drive, or ion engine is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion. It creates thrust by accelerating ions using electricity.
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A CubeSat is a class of miniaturized satellite based around a form factor consisting of 10 cm (3.9 in) cubes. CubeSats have a mass of no more than 2 kg (4.4 lb) per unit, and often use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for their electronics and structure. CubeSats are put into orbit by deployers on the International Space Station, or launched as secondary payloads on a launch vehicle. As of August 2021, more than 1,600 CubeSats have been launched.
The gridded ion thruster is a common design for ion thrusters, a highly efficient low-thrust spacecraft propulsion running on electrical power. These designs use high-voltage grid electrodes to accelerate ions with electrostatic forces.
Alphabus is a family of heavy geostationary communications satellites developed by a joint venture between Thales Alenia Space and EADS Astrium Satellites in France, with support of the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French space agency and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Artemis was a geostationary earth orbit satellite (GEOS) for telecommunications, built by Alenia Spazio for ESA. The Artemis satellite operated at the 21.5E orbital position until 2016, when it was moved to 123E to cover the L-Band spectrum rights for Indonesia's Ministry of Defense.
LuxSpace is a European space systems contractor based in Betzdorf in Luxembourg. It was founded in November 2004 as a daughter company of OHB AG, and began operations in January 2005.
Busek Co. Inc. is an American spacecraft propulsion company that provides thrusters, electronics, and complete systems for spacecraft.
Eutelsat 115 West B is a communications satellite that is operated by Eutelsat, providing video, data, government, and mobile services for the Americas. The satellite was designed and manufactured by Boeing Space Systems, and is a Boeing 702SP model communication satellite. It is located at 115 degrees west longitude. It was launched on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 2 March 2015.
ABS-3A is a communications satellite operated by ABS, providing coverage in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It is positioned in geostationary orbit at 3° West, and offers C and Ku-band payload capacity to support video, data, mobility and government applications. The satellite is the first commercial communications satellite in orbit to use electric propulsion, providing a significant weight savings.
SES-10, is a geostationary communications satellite awarded in February 2014, owned and operated by SES S.A. and designed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space on the Eurostar-3000 satellite bus. It is positioned at the 67° West position thanks to an agreement with the Andean Community to use the Simón Bolivar-2 satellite network. It replaces AMC-3 and AMC-4 to provide enhanced coverage and significant capacity expansion.
BSAT-2b, was a geostationary communications satellite ordered by B-SAT which was designed and manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation on the STAR-1 platform. It was designed to be stationed on the 110° East orbital slot along its companion BSAT-2a where it would provide redundant high definition direct television broadcasting across Japan.
The Lunar Gateway, or simply Gateway, is a planned small space station in lunar orbit intended to serve as a solar-powered communication hub, science laboratory, short-term habitation module for government-agency astronauts, as well as a holding area for rovers and other robots. It is a multinational collaborative project involving four of the International Space Station partner agencies: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Canadian Space Agency (CSA). It is planned to be both the first space station beyond low Earth orbit and the first space station to orbit the Moon.
ArgoMoon is a cubesat that will launch into a heliocentric orbit on Artemis 1, the maiden flight of the Space Launch System. The objective of the ArgoMoon spacecraft is to take detailed images of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage following Orion separation, an operation that will demonstrate the ability of a cubesat to conduct precise proximity maneuvers in deep space.
The Orbital Propulsion Centre Lampoldshausen, a Division of ArianeGroup, is the European competence centre for development and production of satellite and orbital propulsion systems. Founded in 1963 by Ludwig Bölkow as a branch of the Bölkow-Entwicklungs-KG, the centre is situated within the German Aerospace Center (DLR) site at Lampoldshausen, Germany.
Eutelsat I F-2, also known as European Communications Satellite 2 (ECS-2) is a decommissioned communications satellite operated by the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (Eutelsat). Launched in 1984, it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 7° East, before moving to several other locations later in its operational life, before it was finally decommissioned in 1993. It was the second of five satellites launched to form the first-generation Eutelsat constellation.
Eutelsat I F-4, also known as European Communications Satellite-4 (ECS-4) is a decommissioned communications satellite operated by the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (Eutelsat). Launched in 1987, it was operated in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 10° East, before moving to several other locations later in its operational life, before it was finally decommissioned in 2002. It was the fourth of five satellites launched to form the first-generation Eutelsat constellation.