Ion thruster & Electric propulsion
A new generation of ion thruster engines
Ion thruster projects
APCON is actually in flight model series production phase of the RFG1000 Watt Radio Frequency Generator, for serveral customers, e.g. Boeing Space, Thales Alenia Space, ESA & NASA MSR-ERO Mission (Mars Sample Return – Earth Return Orbit).
APCON has developed various Radio Frequency Generator RFG and other power electronic devices for the new generation of satellite electric propulsion systems for the german special Radio Frequency Ion Thruster RIT, in diverse RIT thruster power classes and applications.
Many RFG were developed and produced over last 20 years, with continuous improvements, for miscellaneous Ion Thruster Engines from 40µN to 240mN (40W to 1000 W)…for thruster diameter 2.5cm to 22cm.
The unique design of all RIT Radio Frequence Ion Thruster Engines are based on the Reference Project of Artemis (RITA−10).
RIT-2x High Power Thruster
Radio Frequency Generator
RIT3.5 Mirco Thruster
Radio Frequency Generator
Various RFG & EP Activities
Radio Frequency Generator – Overview
Short Overview of realized Radio Frequency Generators RFG
High power class of RIT Ion Thruster Engine
- RFG1000W for 280mN ion thruster engine RIT-2x
- RFG 900W for 240mN ion thruster engine RIT-22 & RIT-21 XT (life time test with operating for more than 10,000 h)
- RFG 600W for 180mN ion thruster engine RIT-XT 15 GOLD
Mid power class of RITIon Thruster Engine
- RFG-250W/350W for RIT-17
- RFG-200W for RIT-10
- RFG 150W for 1 – 15 – 35mN (RIT-10 EVO 41mN) ion thruster engine for Artemis RITA-10
Low power class µRIT Mirco Ion Thruster Engine (RFG 20W…40W…60W for 40µN … micro thruster)
- RFG-120W for RIT-7
- ESA RFG-60W EVO-ADV for RIT-3.5 – advanced & optimized version.
- RFG-60W-LPF-ADV for RIT-4 (Lisa Pathfinder)
- RFG-60W for RIT-3.5 (RIT-SAT)
- RFG-40W for RIT-2.5
Module assembly of Power Supply RFG-PSCU and RFG60 µRIT
- Modulare system (if needed)
- Miniaturized Version
The following devices are previous developements and demonstrator models for RIT-System test around 2003.
- RFG 900W for 240mN ion thruster engine RIT-22 & RIT-21 XT (life time test with operating for more than 10,000 h)
- RFG 600W for 180mN ion thruster engine RIT-XT 15 GOLD
- RFG 150W for 1 – 15 – 35mN (RIT-10 EVO 41mN) ion thruster engine for Artemis RITA-10
