Electric Propulsion in Germany: Current Program and Prospectives

Electric Propulsion development in Germany goes back to the early sixties, when Prof. Dr. Horst Loeb at 1 Physical Institute of Justus-Liebig-University Giessen designed the first Radiofrequency Ion Thruster – RIT. Ten years later, a fruitful cooperation was initiated with the aerospace company MBB based in Ottobrunn. In the early seventies Prof. Dr. Gerhard Kruelle from DLR Stuttgart developed Applied Field Magnetoplasmadynamic Thrusters (X-series) with very high power demand, which – even today – could not be made available in space. Today, there is a broad spectrum of EP developments, modeling as well as diagnostic tools, and test facilities at university institutes (IPI, IRS), companies (EADS ST, TEDG), some private researchers (AI), and supporting institutes for plasma applications (IOM, INP). EP depends to a great extent on the development of modern, high efficient Power Supply and Control Electronics by companies with wide experience in space qualification and flight heritage (ASP, EADS Astrium, vH&S).