
READ ME File For 'Thesis Data supporting  "Development of Vacuum Arc Thruster Technology Through Printed Architecture and Improved Arc Stability"'

Dataset DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/D3533

ReadMe Author: James Saletes, University of Southampton, ORCID ID: 0009-0001-3105-3602

This dataset supports the thesis entitled: Development of Vacuum Arc Thruster Technology Through Printed Architecture and Improved Arc Stability
AWARDED BY: Univeristy of Southampton
DATE OF AWARD: 2025


Date of data collection: 01/10/2020 - 03/03/2024

Information about geographic location of data collection: Data contained within the "ESTEC Pulume Distribution" folder was collected at the ESTEC test facility in the Netherlands. The remaining data was collected at the University of Southampton.

Licence: CC-BY

Related projects/Funders: ESA, UKSA



--------------------
DATA & FILE OVERVIEW
--------------------

This dataset contains: Three Folders
Folder 1: "Assement of End-of-life Indicators of Vacuum Arc Thrusters". This folder contains the data presented in Section 4.3 of the Thesis. The file within titled "calibration data" contans the collected shunt voltage to currnet ratio of each pulse, used to calibrate the shunt resistor. The "Pulse data peramiters" file contains the pulse characteristics of each of the pulses captured during the descrbed test campain.
Folder 2: "Batter-Driven System Demonstration". This folder contains the data presented in Section 4.2 of the Thesis. This folder contains one file that contains the captured pulse characteristics of each pulse captured during the descirbed test campaign in that section.
Folder 3: "ESTEC Plume distribution". This folder contains the data presented in Section 3.2.1. The three folders conatain the raw data for the plume distribution test of the aluminium, copper and printed BMVAT


Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: N/A

If data was derived from another source, list source: N/A

If there are there multiple versions of the dataset, list the file updated, when and why update was made: N/A



--------------------------
METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION
--------------------------

Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: Please read chapter 3 and 4 of the thesis for this information. 

Methods for processing the data: Please read chapter 3 and 4 of the thesis for this information. 

Software- or Instrument-specific information needed to interpret the data, including software and hardware version numbers: Excel, Python

Standards and calibration information, if appropriate: Please read chapter 3 and 4 of the thesis for this information. 

Environmental/experimental conditions: Please read chapter 3 and 4 of the thesis for this information. 

Describe any quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: Please read chapter 3 and 4 of the thesis for this information. 

People involved with sample collection, processing, analysis and/or submission: The ESTEC electric propulsion team helped collect the data in the "ESTEC Plume distribution" folder. The reamining data was collected only by the auther of the Thesis.


--------------------------
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: Calibration data.xlsx
--------------------------

Number of variables: 4

Number of cases/rows: 13 - 2059

Variable list, defining any abbreviations, units of measure, codes or symbols used: Pulse Number, File name, Shunt Voltage to Current ratio (V/A), STD (standard deveation)



Date that the file was created: November, 2023

--------------------------
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: Pulse data peramiters.xlsx
--------------------------

Number of variables: 7

Number of cases/rows: 3 - 2070


Variable list, defining any abbreviations, units of measure, codes or symbols used: Pulse Number, Resistance (Kohm), Pulse Number, Pusle Duration, Charge, Breakdown voltage, comments
   



Date that the file was created: November, 2023

--------------------------
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: Battery Driven demonstration data.xlsx
--------------------------

Number of variables: 10 

Number of cases/rows: 46 - 239

Variable list, defining any abbreviations, units of measure, codes or symbols used: Pulse Number, File name, Shunt Voltage to Current ratio (V/A), STD, Pulse Duration (ms), Total Discahrge Charge (C) , Breakdwon Voltage (V), Peak Current (A), Arduino out duration (ms), Comments
   




Date that the file was created: May, 2023

--------------------------
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: MBMVAT_AL.LVM
--------------------------

Number of variables: 10

Number of cases/rows: 300023

Variable list, defining any abbreviations, units of measure, codes or symbols used: X_Value, Voltage_0, Voltage_1, Voltage_2, Voltage_3, Voltage_4, Voltage_5, Voltage_6, Voltage_7, Voltage_8



Date that the file was created: March, 2022

--------------------------
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: MBMVAT_cu.LVM
--------------------------

Number of variables: 10

Number of cases/rows: 300023

Variable list, defining any abbreviations, units of measure, codes or symbols used: X_Value, Voltage_0, Voltage_1, Voltage_2, Voltage_3, Voltage_4, Voltage_5, Voltage_6, Voltage_7, Voltage_8



Date that the file was created: March, 2022

--------------------------
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: MBMVAT_PD.LVM
--------------------------

Number of variables: 10

Number of cases/rows: 300023

Variable list, defining any abbreviations, units of measure, codes or symbols used: X_Value, Voltage_0, Voltage_1, Voltage_2, Voltage_3, Voltage_4, Voltage_5, Voltage_6, Voltage_7, Voltage_8



Date that the file was created: March, 2022
--------------------------
