Qualification of the T6 Thruster for BepiColombo

The QinetiQ T6 Kaufman-type gridded ion thruster has been selected to provide primary propulsion for the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, as part of the Solar Electric Propulsion System (SEPS). Each Solar Electric Propulsion Thruster (SEPT) is required to operate at a maximum thrust of 145mN with a specific impulse of nearly 4,300s. This paper presents the results of the SEPT unit qualification testing, including: beginning of life (BOL) performance testing, vibration testing, shock testing, thermal cycles and EMC characterisation. The endurance testing being performed to address SEPT lifetime is also presented. The success of the qualification activities completed on the SEPT has verified its suitability for the BepiColombo mission and represents a significant milestone in the ongoing development of QinetiQ’s T6 thruster, for BepiColombo and future applications.