Tests were carried out with xenon and krypton
At the Keldysh Center (part of Roscosmos), fire tests of the KM-55 plasma engine were successfully carried out in a wide power range. The KM-55 engine is being developed for use on small spacecraft of the Russian promising low-orbit constellation, including within the framework of the federal project «Sfera». «Sphere» will include satellites for broadband Internet access, communications with Internet of Things devices and Earth remote sensing devices.
When testing KM-55, heavy inert gases xenon and krypton were used as a working fluid. Experts noted that during testing the engine showed stable operation in the power range from 600 to 1200 W. The specific impulse when working on xenon was up to 2,050 sec, and when working on krypton — up to 1900 sec, the thrust range for xenon was from 28 to 87 mN, and for krypton — from 34 to 66 mN.