Aerojet and electric thrusters

[TrevorMonty]

Things are not all bad for Aerojet on propulsion front. Their large chemical engine market is not looking good but they are poised to become leaders in the large electric propulsion market.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/04/24/nasa-selects-aerojet-rocketdyne-advanced-deep-space-propulsion/

[baldusi]

Things are not all bad for Aerojet on propulsion front. Their large chemical engine market is not looking good but they are poised to become leaders in the large electric propulsion market.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/04/24/nasa-selects-aerojet-rocketdyne-advanced-deep-space-propulsion/

When I spoke to AeroJet employees, they've told me they are more proud of their electric products, a market in which they are leaders. Their main competitor is Fakel/Snemca, but they told me they have better products. So I wouldn't be surprised that they are on the forefront of electric propulsion. They also have the most small attitude rockets, and small rockets like the AJ-10 family. Also, they are the SRB suppliers of Atlas V and a lot of military missiles, so they only place where i see them losing market share main LV liquid propulsion.
BTW, Fakel/Snemca are struggling to certify a 5kW electric propulsion, AeroJet is working on a 100kW and a 250kW module.

[ChrisWilson68]

Things are not all bad for Aerojet on propulsion front. Their large chemical engine market is not looking good but they are poised to become leaders in the large electric propulsion market.

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/04/24/nasa-selects-aerojet-rocketdyne-advanced-deep-space-propulsion/

When I spoke to AeroJet employees, they've told me they are more proud of their electric products, a market in which they are leaders. Their main competitor is Fakel/Snemca, but they told me they have better products. So I wouldn't be surprised that they are on the forefront of electric propulsion. They also have the most small attitude rockets, and small rockets like the AJ-10 family. Also, they are the SRB suppliers of Atlas V and a lot of military missiles, so they only place where i see them losing market share main LV liquid propulsion.
BTW, Fakel/Snemca are struggling to certify a 5kW electric propulsion, AeroJet is working on a 100kW and a 250kW module.

That's great!

It's the sign of a healthy market for companies to start losing in some markets where they were once strong, as others enter with better products.  And it's a sign of a healthy company to scale back in some markets when they are having problems and expand in other markets where they do better.

[TrevorMonty]

The technology for these large SEP can also be applied to for space based power systems that beam power back to earth. A 100kw satellite would make great demo to prove the technology. Still along way from being economicially viable but a EML1 satellite would be ideal for powering lunar base during lunar nights.