SITAEL HT100 Hall Thruster Successfully Operated with Krypton Propellant

Characteristic blue-indigo plume of HT100 operated with Krypton
Tested in a power range between 140 and 350W, the maximum recorded efficiency was 33% with an anodic specific impulse exceeding 1800s. The thruster was operated with a low-current cathode which was also fed with Krypton. Thruster discharge was stable and no beam-outs were detected.
Proving HT100 full compatibility with this propellant marked an important milestone in its development path, as Krypton is three to five times cheaper than Xenon and may play a crucial role in the near future, should Hall thrusters be selected as primary propulsion systems for large LEO constellations.
This test successfully concludes an extensive experimental campaign started early this year where HT100 demonstrated over 2200 hours of operation and cumulated a total impulse of 75 kNs. The thruster also underwent structural vibration tests, proving its capability to effectively withstand the typical launch loads.