The New DLR High Vacuum Test Facility STG-ET

At its Göttingen site the German Aerospace Center DLR extended its activities beyond chemical space thrusters to electric propulsion. This type of engine is gaining more interest especially in the sector of micropropulsion as several future missions request very low thrust coupled with very accurate thrust level control. DLR is building a new vacuum chamber facility, named STG-ET, especially for electric propulsion testing. Its vacuum chamber measures 12.2 m in length and 5 m in diameter. The focus will be on plume interaction with spacecraft components and on long-term tests. The facility will be equipped with advanced measurement methods for plasma analysis and thrust vector measurement. This paper describes the technical features of the facility and the scope of its application