Nasa has selected Aerojet Rocketdyne to design an electric propulsion system to power its future manned spaceflights to cislunar space and beyond to Mars.

The company will soon begin negotiations to finalise contract terms. The scope of the contract will include Aerojet Rocketdyne developing a 100kW hall thruster system, including its 250kW multi-channel nested hall thruster (NHT).

Aerojet will also build a 100kW modular power processing unit (PPU) and associated components of the modular feed system.

PPUs are designed to power the hall thruster by converting the electrical power generated by a spacecraft’s solar arrays.

"When it comes to cargo and crew transportation, our advanced propulsion system will dramatically decrease the trip times and cost of human exploration."

Under the contract, the company will also have an option to complete system integration testing and a 100-hour test of the 100kW system.

Aerojet Rocketdyne advanced space and launch systems vice-president Julie Van Kleeck said: "Our high-power nested hall thruster system will provide the best path in the development of faster transportation to the moon, Mars and beyond.

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"When it comes to cargo and crew transportation, our advanced propulsion system will dramatically decrease the trip times and cost of human exploration."

Nasa selected Aerojet as part of the next space technologies for exploration partnerships (NextSTEP), to build space and human exploration capabilities for deepspace missions.

Aerojet Rocketdyne advanced in-space programmes executive director Roger Myers said: "Our unique flight experience with 5kW hall thruster systems enables us to efficiently develop these very high-power, scalable solar electric propulsion systems.

"There are many applications for these systems, including new government and commercial missions that will benefit from high power, fast trip times."