4 ms·
GEO satellites typically don't use hall effect thrusters for much. Primary propulsion for large GEO satellites is typically a hypergolic system. Ion thrusters,
by dotnet00 3y ago
GEO satellites typically don't use hall effect thrusters for much. Primary propulsion for large GEO satellites is typically a hypergolic system. Ion thrusters, if present, are typically a station keeping tool.
For example, the satellite bus used by EchoStar-7, which is the satellite in question here (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_A2100 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_A2100)
uses Hydrazine and NTO for primary propulsion, with hydrazine monoprop for atittude control, and the monoprop thrusters and ion thrusters for station keeping.
While the new version of that bus has the option for all-electric propulsion, it really isn't clear how popular that option has actually been. There aren't really many details about it.