In late July 2000, Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion, a unit of United Technologies Corporation, announced its acquisition of Space Power Incorporated (SPI). SPI produces high-performance electric propulsion systems for satellite orbit transfer, orbit raising and stationkeeping. SPI has designed and extensively tested a family of U.S. patented Hall Effect Thrusters (HETs), which offer a broad range of thrust levels at various power levels. Additionally, SPI designs the associated Power Processing Units (PPUs) that convert energy from satellite solar panels into electric power to drive and control the HET propulsion system. Combined with a propellant management system and propellant tanks, these devices will allow P&W to provide spacecraft manufacturers a complete propulsion system exhibiting weight savings that will reduce launch costs and increase satellite revenue. In 1992, SBIR-active firm Advanced Energy Technology (La Jolla, CA) was merged into Space Power.
