The USAF Electric Propulsion Program

An overview of the current state of electric propulsion technology development efforts within the United States Air Force is presented. Air Force Mission Needs Statements which call for electric propulsion are likewise discussed. Two groups within the Air Force Research Laboratory contribute to the electric propulsion program: Propulsion Directorate and Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). The Propulsion Directorate is conducting electric propulsion efforts in basic research. engineering development as well as an Advanced Technology Development effort that will result in a space flight experiment of a 30 kilowatt arcjet system. AFOSR funds basic research in electric propulsion throughout the country in both academia and industry.
Pres: 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, 12-15 Jul, Cleveland, OH.