Solar Electric Performance for Medlite and Delta Class Planetary Missions

The current emphasis on small, low-cost planetary missions using Delta and Medlite Class launch vehicles has prompted the examination of the use of Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) spacecraft to either enable or enhance the performance of some of the more demanding planetary missions. Planetary missions that appear most attractive for a small solar electric propulsion system include those missions that require a large post-launch AV commitment from the spacecraft propulsion system such as small body rendezvous and sample return missions. Other missions that may benefit from use of SEP would be a Mercury orbiter mission and various outer planet orbiter and flyby missions. The use of SEP for this latter class of missions could result in either increased performance or use of a smaller launch vehicle than that required for an equivalent chemically propelled ballistic mission.