Impulse per system volume, N-s/L
250kg sat, 500m/s delta-V, 1 thruster, with propellant
Impulse per system mass, N-s/Kg
250kg sat, 500m/s delta-V, 1 thruster, with propellant
Unique features make ACE up to 3x smaller and lighter per impulse than any other flight system. With major innovations in the cathode, flow system, magnetic lensing, magnetic circuit, and propellant, ACE offers revolutionary performance.
| Key features | Advantage |
| Instant-start, center mounted, heater-less cathode | Dramatically improved reliability |
| No welding and no moving parts |
Improved reliability; Easier to build and test |
| 97% efficient PPU |
More efficient use of solar power; Less waste heat to the satellite |
| Hybrid magnetic shielding | Less erosion; longer lifetime; reduced EMI |
ACE was designed to be modular and scalable for satellites with available power between 200W and 20kW. The representative configuration below is ideal for many smallsats planned for large LEO constellations.
| Total impulse | 200 kN-s |
| Thrust | 24 mN |
| Specific impulse | 1,250 s |
| Dry mass | 4.5 kg * |
| Power to PPU | 400W |
| Input voltage | 27-38 VDC |
| Propellant | 16 kg |
* Includes thruster, PPU, tank, feed system, connectors, fasteners, structural components
| Total impulse | 1.8 MN-s |
| Thrust | 198 mN |
| Specific impulse | 1500 s |
| Dry mass | 14.8 kg * |
| Power to PPU | 3000W |
| Input voltage | 27-38 VDC |
| Propellant | 120 kg |
* Includes thruster, PPU, tank, feed system, connectors, fasteners, structural components
Apollo's R&D lab has five vacuum chambers and one thermal-vac chamber, allowing for hundreds of tests per week. This enables the development of new architectures in weeks instead of years. ACE is now at version 9.
Many PPUs are large, heavy, and expensive. In contrast, the ACE PPU is less than one kilogram and is the size of a scientific calculator. It was designed to operate at a single set point, based on the available power of the satellite and customer mission requirements. Its 97% efficient, which means it efficiently uses the power from the solar panels and very little heat escapes to the satellite structure.
More impulse per satellite means more agility, more mobility, and the ability to perform missions previously considered impossible. ACE expands the envelope, giving mission planners the impulse to do more with every satellite.
| Varying orbits for unpredictable overflights | ...now possible |
| VLEO communication missions for the fastest data rate | 9x improvement in data rate |
| VLEO earth observation missions for better imaging | 2x resolution with same aperture |
| Boost from LEO to GEO | $7,000,000 savings |
Apollo will soon be ready to ship flight units with a short lead time of two months, depending on customer requirements for qualification and acceptance test schedules. Based on our customer demand, Apollo has already set up manufacturing capable of delivering dozens of units per month.