A 20 kW Magnetically Shielded Nested Hall Thruster: Status and Perspectives of the TANDEM Project

The TANDEM project aims to design, manufacture, and test a 20 kW dual-channel magnetically shielded Hall thruster, equipped with a central high-current hollow cathode. The project originates as a collaboration between the University of Pisa and Aerospazio Tecnologie s.r.l. within the framework of an ESA Technology Development Element (TDE) program. As the project nears its final test phase, this paper offers a comprehensive overview of its progress over the past two years. Beginning with a summary of the activities carried out before 2022, we delve into the outcomes of thermal characterization, ignition, and parametric performance tests conducted on the hollow cathode employing krypton and xenon as propellants. Furthermore, we present the results of a mapping campaign of the thruster's magnetic field across its three operative modes. Lastly, we outline the upcoming activities and discuss plans for the future thruster test.