Characterization of a T6 Based Hollow Cathode Thruster
Characterization of a T6 Based Hollow Cathode Thruster
This paper characterizes thrust performance of a variant of the T6 hollow cathode modified for improved operational characteristics. The device displays promising performance and highlights the potential for application as a microthruster. The T6 cathode is able to produce specific impulse of over 1050s with xenon and argon; however the dominant acceleration mechanism at low flow rates is shown to be almost entirely electromagnetic effectively constituting a low power, magneto-plasma-dynamic thruster. The modified cathode also displayed very low discharge voltages ~12V and stable operation while carrying currents as high as 30-Amps on flow rates of less than 0.1mgs-1 down to 0.04mgs-1 with xenon. This investigation also highlights the importance of electrode geometry in hollow cathode thruster design and indeed in all other applications of hollow cathode where flow rates should be minimized.
hollow cathode, plasma, ion propulsion, micro thruster
Grubisic, A.N.
94e5f6ea-9b65-4c81-bfa1-f0e29e8bbaf4
Gabriel, S.B.
ac76976d-74fd-40a0-808d-c9f68a38f259
Fearn, D.G.
0b548ff0-c2fb-4ab8-8cb9-1e7c4e8d373a
10 September 2007
Grubisic, A.N.
94e5f6ea-9b65-4c81-bfa1-f0e29e8bbaf4
Gabriel, S.B.
ac76976d-74fd-40a0-808d-c9f68a38f259
Fearn, D.G.
0b548ff0-c2fb-4ab8-8cb9-1e7c4e8d373a
Grubisic, A.N., Gabriel, S.B. and Fearn, D.G.
(2007)
Characterization of a T6 Based Hollow Cathode Thruster.
58th International Astronautical Federation Congress, , Hyderabad, India.
24 - 28 Sep 2007.
15 pp
.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
This paper characterizes thrust performance of a variant of the T6 hollow cathode modified for improved operational characteristics. The device displays promising performance and highlights the potential for application as a microthruster. The T6 cathode is able to produce specific impulse of over 1050s with xenon and argon; however the dominant acceleration mechanism at low flow rates is shown to be almost entirely electromagnetic effectively constituting a low power, magneto-plasma-dynamic thruster. The modified cathode also displayed very low discharge voltages ~12V and stable operation while carrying currents as high as 30-Amps on flow rates of less than 0.1mgs-1 down to 0.04mgs-1 with xenon. This investigation also highlights the importance of electrode geometry in hollow cathode thruster design and indeed in all other applications of hollow cathode where flow rates should be minimized.
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Published date: 10 September 2007
Venue - Dates:
58th International Astronautical Federation Congress, , Hyderabad, India, 2007-09-24 - 2007-09-28
Keywords:
hollow cathode, plasma, ion propulsion, micro thruster
Organisations:
Astronautics Group
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 48318
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/48318
PURE UUID: 5a38ba29-0fc4-4c49-8cca-511d3cc2f894
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Date deposited: 11 Sep 2007
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 09:44
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Contributors
Author:
A.N. Grubisic
Author:
S.B. Gabriel
Author:
D.G. Fearn
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