Electric Propulsion Power Sizing Calculator
Space Mission Systems Engineering: Balance delta-V ($\Delta V$), specific impulse ($I_{sp}$), solar/nuclear power mass, and continuous thrust burn duration.
Mission & Spacecraft Mass
Power Plant & Available Power
Mass Breakdown & Trajectory Sizing
Propellant Mass ($m_p$)
-- kg
Propellant Fraction: -- %
Net Dry / Payload Mass ($m_{pay}$)
-- kg
Power Plant Mass: -- kg
Continuous Thrust ($T$)
-- mN
Initial Accel $a_0$: -- mm/s²
Total Burn Time ($\tau$)
-- days
Stuhlinger Optimum $I_{sp}$: -- s
Stuhlinger Optimization Principle:
• High $I_{sp}$ reduces propellant mass $m_p$, but increases power plant mass $m_{pow} = \alpha P_e = \alpha \frac{T g_0 I_{sp}}{2 \eta}$.
• An optimum exhaust velocity exists that maximizes deliverable payload mass for a given allowable mission trip time.
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