Publications Details

Advancing Space Propulsion: Development of a State-of-the-Art Electric Thruster Testing Facility in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Testing of electric propulsion thrusters requires specialized facilities that can accommodate high vacuum and high-power systems. This paper provides an overview of the development of a new facility in the United Arab Emirates to test electric propulsion thrusters. The facility, located at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), Abu Dhabi, is currently being designed to support the development and testing of a wide range of electric propulsion thrusters. The central components of the facility are three vacuum chambers with an integrated thrust measurement test stand, augmented by state-of-the-art clean rooms and comprehensive mechanical and electronics workshops. Best in class diagnostics will be implemented in the test vacuum facility to full characterize engine performance. The new TII facility will be a valuable resource for the space community, enabling researchers and engineers to study and optimize the performance of these critical technologies. In addition, the facility will supplement other existing UAE testing facilities (Mechanical, TVT, EMC). Therefore, future space projects can benefit from a full testing cycle to verify spacecraft functionality and performance. The TII SEP facility will support research and development efforts aimed at improving the efficiency, reliability, and performance of electric propulsion thrusters, helping to advance the state of the art in space propulsion systems.

Publication year
2024
Research Areas
Access to Space and Sustainability
Publisher
Space Research Conference
Research Type
Conference Contribution
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