Aerojet, QinetiQ, and EADS Astrium Crisa have announced that the companies have entered into a joint agreement to supply the XENITH (Xenon Ion Thruster) ion propulsion system to the worldwide commercial spacecraft market. The agreement will enable customers to benefit from the combined expertise of independent market leaders in design, manufacture and supply of space propulsion systems, who are collaborating to deliver the XENITH system.

Built around the ultra high-efficient T6 ion thruster developed by QinetiQ, the XENITH propulsion system will provide a reduction in propellant consumed by more than a factor of 12 over conventional chemical propulsion systems. Ion propulsion systems have been used for orbit raising and station keeping of satellites, as well as for primary propulsion for deep space missions.

The T6 ion propulsion technology is based on the lower power T5 system, which provides precision atmospheric drag compensation for the highly successful GOCE gravity mapping mission operated by ESA.

A T6-based propulsion system is being qualified for the European Bepi-Colombo mission to Mercury and has been selected to provide onboard propulsion for the Alphabus communications satellite platform. QinetiQ provides the thruster and flow control subsystem, while Crisa provides the thruster power and control electronics.

"The joint effort with Aerojet and Crisa to market the XENITH propulsion system is a significant step toward delivering QinetiQ's proven ion propulsion technology for much wider use worldwide," said Neil Bevan, QinetiQ Technology Solutions, Managing Director of Aerospace.

Aerojet's electric propulsion products are currently flying on more than 150 operational satellites and span a broad range of electric propulsion products. For the XENITH system, Aerojet will perform some of the manufacturing, under a licensed arrangement with QinetiQ, and then integrate and deliver the system to spacecraft primes.

Vice President of Space and Launch Systems for Aerojet, Julie Van Kleeck, states that "the XENITH system fills a critical need within Aerojet's suite of electric propulsion product offerings."

"As the developer and supplier of the T5 and T6 power electronics units, we look forward to working with this team to provide this key component of the XENITH system with the highest of quality and reliability," said Fernando del Rey, CEO of Crisa. Crisa has provided flight electronics to most ESA flight programs and delivered more than 700 units with almost 3,000 aggregate years of operation on orbit.