ISRO Set to Launch Indigenous Electric Thrusters for Satellites in December, Says ISRO Chief

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) is gearing up for a groundbreaking test of its home-grown electric thrusters in December, aiming to revolutionize satellite propulsion technology. During the Sardar Patel Lecture at Akashvani, ISRO chairman S Somanath announced that the first Technology Demonstrator Satellite (TDS-01), utilizing indigenously developed electric propulsion systems, will be launched next month.

The TDS-01 will also showcase indigenously built traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), crucial components for various communication and microwave remote sensing payloads on satellites. Traditionally, a four-tonne communication satellite requires over two tonnes of liquid fuel to maneuver from its launch orbit to the desired geostationary orbit. However, Somanath revealed that "in case of electric propulsion, the fuel requirement reduces to just 200 kg."

The innovative electric propulsion system (EPS) employs propellant gases like Argon, which are ionized using solar power, leading to significant weight reductions. "When the fuel tank size is reduced, the size of every peripheral also comes down. It is a cumulative effect. So, this satellite will not weigh more than two tonnes, but will have the power of a four-tonne satellite," Somanath explained.

Despite its advantages, electric propulsion has a downside: it generates lower thrust compared to chemical propulsion, resulting in longer travel times to the desired orbit. "The only issue with electric propulsion is it is very low thrust. It will take almost three months to reach the geo orbit from the launching orbit, as against one week in chemical thrusters," he noted.

ISRO's EPS was first implemented in the South Asia Satellite - GSAT-9, launched in May 2017, but that system was entirely imported from Russia.

In addition to the TDS-01, Somanath provided an update on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, confirming that the radar antenna reflector is complete. This critical component was transported from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California to ISRO's spacecraft integration and test facility in Bengaluru, with integration scheduled to take about two months. "We will schedule it for launch in February," Somanath confirmed.

With these advancements, ISRO continues to solidify its position as a leader in space technology, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in satellite design and propulsion.

(With Agency Inputs)