What does this research mean for the field?

Advanced electric propulsion systems, particularly high-power thrusters in the 100 kW class, are essential and viable for future deep-space exploration missions requiring high velocity increments and nuclear-powered architectures. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To review electric space propulsion technologies developed over three decades at the Institute of Space Systems Stuttgart and evaluate their role in nuclear electric deep-space exploration.

September 14, 2026KerntechnikOpen Access

Electric space propulsion at the Institute of Space Systems Stuttgart: from low-power to high-power for nuclear electric propulsion applications

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Authors

JGJulia GrillUniversity of Stuttgart GHGeorg HerdrichUniversity of Stuttgart

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Implication

Technical review reveals performance capabilities of electric thruster systems in deep-space spacecraft, highlighting high-power options for nuclear missions.

Key Points

To review electric space propulsion technologies developed over three decades at the Institute of Space Systems Stuttgart and evaluate their role in nuclear electric deep-space exploration.
Synthesized propulsion research spanning low-power CubeSat systems to high-power 100 kW-class thrusters.
Assessed system trade-offs between propellant efficiency, transfer duration, and thrust generation via the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation.
Evaluated electrothermal, magnetoplasmadynamic, pulsed plasma, and electrodeless thruster experimental data gathered from vacuum plasma wind tunnel facilities.
Characterized experimental performance across diverse propulsion concepts including arcjets, self-field and applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters, and pulsed plasma systems.
Demonstrated high-power electric propulsion systems in the 100 kW class capable of supporting high total velocity increment mission profiles.

Cite This Study

Grill et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa7b3aa0926e14a848b2bd3 https://doi.org/10.1515/kern-2026-0044

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Implication

Technical review reveals performance capabilities of electric thruster systems in deep-space spacecraft, highlighting high-power options for nuclear missions.

Electric space propulsion at the Institute of Space Systems Stuttgart: from low-power to high-power for nuclear electric propulsion applications

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Electric space propulsion at the Institute of Space Systems Stuttgart: from low-power to high-power for nuclear electric propulsion applications

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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