{"id":640120,"date":"2024-04-11T10:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T14:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=640120"},"modified":"2024-04-11T10:14:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T14:14:20","slug":"nasas-sert-ii-a-genuine-space-success-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/glenn\/nasas-sert-ii-a-genuine-space-success-story\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s SERT II: ‘A Genuine Space Success Story\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"padding-top-5 padding-bottom-3 width-full maxw-full hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-intro\"><div class=\"width-full maxw-full article-header\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2 width-full maxw-full\"><p class=\"label carbon-60 margin-0 margin-bottom-3 padding-0\">5 min read<\/p><h1 class=\"display-48 margin-bottom-2\">NASA\u2019s SERT II: ‘A Genuine Space Success Story\u2019<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1606\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"An illustration of a gold spacecraft flying through space with thrusters releasing propellant and solar arrays. The Earth can be seen to the left of the illustration.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.1); transform-origin: 0% 45%; object-position: 0% 45%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg 2999w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=300,235 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=768,602 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=1024,803 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=1536,1205 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=2048,1606 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=400,314 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=600,471 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=900,706 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=1200,941 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1966-c-02008.jpg?resize=2000,1569 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">An illustration of the SERT II spacecraft, which was comprised of the Agena upper stage, the experimental thrusters and associated equipment, and two large solar arrays.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Credi<\/strong>t: <strong>NASA<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cA genuine space success story,\u201d is how Experiments Manager William Kerslake described NASA\u2019s second <a href=\"https:\/\/ntrs.nasa.gov\/api\/citations\/19710002423\/downloads\/19710002423.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Space Electric Rocket Test<\/a> (SERT II), the first long-duration operation of ion thrusters in space. SERT II provided researchers with data for years beyond its expected lifetime and was a rare example of an entire mission \u2013 including the launch, propulsion system, spacecraft, and control center \u2013 being handled by one organization: NASA\u2019s Lewis Research Center in Cleveland (today, NASA Glenn).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/smallsat-institute\/sst-soa\/in-space_propulsion\/#4.6.2\">electric propulsion<\/a> thrusters dates back to the early 20th century, but because they must operate in a vacuum, there was no practical application for these systems until the space program decades later. In the late 1950s, researchers at NASA Lewis began investigating types of electric propulsion and analyzing missions that could use these systems. They produce low amounts of thrust by creating and accelerating small particles at high velocities, and over time, can accelerate spacecraft at very high rates of speed. Their ability to operate continuously for years at a time with little propellant makes them ideal for long-duration missions or keeping satellites in orbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This work was expanded in the early 1960s with the creation of Lewis\u2019 Electromagnetic Propulsion Division and the construction of large vacuum facilities, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.grc.nasa.gov\/facilities\/eppl\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Electric Propulsion and Power Laboratory<\/a> (EPPL). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/glenn\/glenn-history\/harold-kaufman\/\">Lewis engineer Harold Kaufman\u2019s<\/a> electron bombardment ion engine, which used liquid mercury as its propellant, was the most promising option. While Kaufman\u2019s thruster was undergoing extensive testing in the EPPL tanks, Lewis engineers began developing a spacecraft to test the thruster. During the 50-minute suborbital SERT I flight on July 20, 1964, the Kaufman thruster became the first ion engine to operate in space.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1687\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 56% 37%; object-position: 56% 37%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=300,247 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=768,633 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=1024,844 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=1536,1265 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=2048,1687 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=400,330 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=600,494 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=900,741 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=1200,989 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?resize=2000,1648 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">In early 1968, the experimental portion of SERT II underwent six months of testing in Tank 5 at NASA Lewis Research Center\u2019s (now, NASA Glenn\u2019s) Electric Propulsion and Power Laboratory in conditions that simulated the temperatures and pressures it would encounter in space. The two thrusters can be seen in this photograph.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Credi<\/strong>t: <strong>NASA<\/strong>\/ <strong>Paul Riedel<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Lewis continued improving the thruster system, and in August 1966 received approval for SERT II. Researchers wanted to verify the thrusters could operate for longer durations in space, determine their effect on other spacecraft systems, and measure the degradation of solar arrays over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The center began simultaneous development of the SERT II ion thruster system and the spacecraft that would place it into orbit: a Thorad-Agena rocket. SERT II had two 15-centimeter diameter electron bombardment thrusters affixed to the back end and a 5-by-40 foot solar array, the largest ever flown by NASA at that time, at the other end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a series of tests in the EPPL, SERT II blasted off on February 3, 1970. Project Manager Raymond Rulis called the launch \u201cone of the smoothest operations I\u2019ve seen.\u201d SERT II was placed into a circular polar orbit that provided its solar arrays with the continuous sunlight required to power its thrusters and electronic systems.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1492\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?w=1492\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A rocket launches and smoke billows up from below. The background of the photo is dark blue and orange light can be seen coming from below the rocket.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 49% 34%; object-position: 49% 34%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg 1945w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=219,300 219w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=768,1054 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=746,1024 746w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=1119,1536 1119w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=1492,2048 1492w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=291,400 291w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=437,600 437w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=656,900 656w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=874,1200 874w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1970-c-01031.jpg?resize=1457,2000 1457w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1492px) 100vw, 1492px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">A Thorad-Agena rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base on February 3, 1970, with the SERT II spacecraft. NASA Lewis Research Center (now, NASA Glenn) managed the Agena Program between 1962 and 1970, with SERT II being the last of the center\u2019s 28 successful launches.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Credi<\/strong>t: <strong>NASA<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On February 14, 1970, Lewis engineers activated the first thruster, beginning its six-month operational test. Three weeks later, operators shut the thruster down just before the vehicle passed through the path of a solar eclipse. It was restarted without issue afterwards and continued operation as the spacecraft encountered the eclipse a second time later that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The thruster operated successfully for five months until an electrical short in the grid caused it to fail on July 22, 1970. Two days later, the second thruster was activated. It operated smoothly for three-and-a-half months until a similar short occurred in mid-October. Though the SERT II thrusters failed to meet their six-month objectives, they did operate for extended periods, confirming data obtained in Lewis\u2019 vacuum tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mission continued when Lewis engineers reactivated SERT II in 1973 to demonstrate cathode restarting, and the following year, they resolved an electrical short in one of the thrusters. During periods of intermittent sunlight, operators demonstrated restarting the thruster with less than an hour of power available. SERT II\u2019s return to an orbit in continuous sunlight in 1979 provided Lewis researchers the opportunity to conduct over 500 restarts. They operated the thruster for 18,000 hours before the propellant ran out in the spring of 1981.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1775\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A man wearing a tie and a NASA employee badge stands in a control room next to various computers and consoles. He looks at the camera, and behind him is an American flag and a sign that says, \u201cSpacecraft Control Center\u201d and \u201cSERT II.\u201d\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 43% 29%; object-position: 43% 29%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg 2492w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=300,260 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=768,666 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=1024,888 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=1536,1331 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=2048,1775 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=400,347 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=600,520 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=900,780 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=1200,1040 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1981-c-02858.jpg?resize=2000,1734 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">William Kerslake (seen in this 1981 photograph) and Louis Ignaczak managed the SERT II operations from a specially designed control center in NASA\u2019s Lewis Research Center\u2019s (now, NASA Glenn\u2019s) 10-by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel building. The control center allowed engineers to monitor the mission and send commands to the spacecraft through NASA\u2019s satellite communication system. <\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Credit<\/strong>: <strong>NASA\/Daniel Laiety<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Over eleven years, SERT II provided data on hundreds of thruster restarts, restarts after shutdowns as long as 18 months, ion beam neutralization of one thruster by the other, and discovery of a new plasma thrust mode. SERT II also verified that thruster operation had no harmful impact on spacecraft and solar arrays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, SERT II continued to be an asset to NASA researchers. In the late 1980s, Lewis engineers realized that an auxiliary experiment on SERT II that analyzed the effect of micrometeoroids on solar mirrors could be beneficial to research on solar dynamic systems to power space stations. During six months in sunlight in 1990, the Lewis team determined that after 20 years in orbit, there was no degradation of the solar mirror\u2019s optical properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many technological components of the SERT II thruster system were incorporated into subsequent generations of ion thrusters. By the time the mission was terminated, Lewis was already ground testing thrusters twice the size of those on SERT II. The center has continued to lead NASA\u2019s electric propulsion efforts, developing an array of technologies, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.grc.nasa.gov\/space\/sep\/gridded-ion-thrusters-next-c\/\" rel=\"noopener\">NEXT-C thrusters<\/a> that powered the Deep Space 1 and Dawn spacecraft. In support of the agency\u2019s Artemis missions, NASA Glenn recently tested the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/glenn\/nasa-aerojet-rocketdyne-put-gateway-thruster-system-to-the-test\/\">thrusters that will power Gateway<\/a>, NASA\u2019s future lunar space station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Additional Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ntrs.nasa.gov\/api\/citations\/19920019740\/downloads\/19920019740.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Development and Flight History of SERT II Spacecraft<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www1.grc.nasa.gov\/space\/sep\/\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA Glenn Solar Electric Propulsion<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/35-years-ago-sts-30-launches-magellan-to-venus\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg 1184w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?resize=300,228 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?resize=768,584 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?resize=1024,779 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?resize=400,304 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?resize=600,457 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/sts-30-11-preflight-crew-presser-mar-27-1989-sts-30-prep-37.jpg?resize=900,685 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">14 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">35 Years Ago: STS-30 Launches Magellan to Venus<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/solar-system\/planets\/mars\/nasa-selects-commercial-service-studies-to-enable-mars-robotic-science\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg 4798w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/1-viking-mars-globe.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">4 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">NASA Selects Commercial Service Studies to Enable Mars Robotic Science<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/goddard-tech\/big-science-drives-wallops-suborbital-upgrades\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"208\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png 1620w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=300,208 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=768,533 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=1024,711 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=1536,1067 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=400,278 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=600,417 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=900,625 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/casba.png?resize=1200,833 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">4 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Big Science Drives Wallops\u2019 Upgrades for NASA Suborbital Missions<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cA genuine space success story,\u201d is how Experiments Manager William Kerslake described NASA\u2019s second Space Electric Rocket Test (SERT II), the first long-duration operation of ion thrusters in space. SERT II provided researchers with data for years beyond its expected lifetime and was a rare example of an entire mission \u2013 including the launch, propulsion […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":640138,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2856,13014,2671,2661,2828],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[3911,8598,12663],"coauthors":[10218],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA\u2019s SERT II: ‘A Genuine Space Success Story\u2019","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/glenn\/nasas-sert-ii-a-genuine-space-success-story\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/glenn\/nasas-sert-ii-a-genuine-space-success-story\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Centers & Facilities","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Robert S. Arrighi"}],"creator":["Robert S. Arrighi"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Technology","Technology for Space Travel","Glenn Research Center","Glenn History","NASA History"],"dateCreated":"2024-04-11T14:10:00Z","datePublished":"2024-04-11T14:10:00Z","dateModified":"2024-04-11T14:14:20Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA\u2019s SERT II: ‘A Genuine Space Success Story\u2019\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/glenn\/nasas-sert-ii-a-genuine-space-success-story\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2024-04-11T14:10:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Technology,Technology for Space Travel,Glenn Research Center,Glenn History,NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Robert S. Arrighi\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":5,"time_ago":"3 weeks","featured_image":{"id":640138,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/grc-1968-c-03031.jpg","title":"SPACE ELECTRIC ROCKET TEST, SERT II IN TANK 5","alt":"In this black-and-white photo, two male NASA employees wearing white protective gear work on a large piece of space hardware with thrusters attached. They are inside a large vacuum chamber.","caption":"In early 1968, the experimental portion of SERT II underwent six months of testing in Tank 5 at NASA Lewis Research Center\u2019s (now, NASA Glenn\u2019s) Electric Propulsion Laboratory in conditions that simulated the temperatures and pressures it would encounter in space. The two thrusters can be seen in this photograph."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640120"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=640120"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":643418,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640120\/revisions\/643418"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/640138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=640120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=640120"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=640120"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=640120"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=640120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}