A Comparison of Electric and Chemical Propulsion in the Era of Low Launch Costs — Dawn Aerospace
A Comparison of Electric and Chemical Propulsion in the Era of Low Launch Costs — Dawn Aerospace
Delft, The Netherlands - 18 July 2024 Electric propulsion systems (EP) have gained popularity in the low Earth orbit (LEO) propulsion market over the last decade, largely due to their lower launch costs. This is driven by their relatively high fuel efficiency (specific impulse - Isp) which reduces
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Key decision factors for satellite operators when choosing between chemical and electric propulsion:
- Fuel Efficiency
- Lost Mission Revenue
- Responsiveness
- Thrust Requirements
- Deorbiting
- Upfront Cost
- Propellant Availability & Storage
- Fine Pointing Maneuvers
Summary
Electric propulsion is well suited for deep space and long-duration missions because it can generate power for a long time through solar arrays, from a very small amount of propellant.
But for missions where revenue, responsibility and responsiveness take high priority, chemical propulsion systems provide quick orbit insertion, responsible re-entry, and instantaneous thrust and is often the better choice.