HEMPT - Status of the Advanced EP Technology for SmallSats and LEO/MEO Constellations

THALES Germany develops ion thrusters based on the HEMPT technology (High-Efficiency Multistage Plasma Thruster). The first fully qualified thruster model, the 1.4kW-class HEMPT-3050, has been integrated on the German geostationary satellite H2Sat, launched in July 2023, and is successfully operating since then with nominal performance. As a further development Thales Germany is qualifying a 700W-class HEMP thruster, called EVO. Thales Ulm has also started the development of a 1.5kW class thruster, the HEMPT 3050-C, both leveraging Thales in-orbit heritage and design for manufacturing approach. This paper will give an update on the status of the HEMPT product line at Thales, including recent results from development and qualification activities.