Effects of anode temperature on working characteristics and performance of a low power arcjet thruster

An arc-heated thruster of 130–800 W input power is tested in a vacuum chamber at pressures lower than 20 Pa with argon or H2–N2 gas mixture as propellant. The time-dependent arc voltage-current curve, outside-surface temperature of the anode nozzle and the produced thrust of the firing arcjet thruster are measured in situ simultaneously, in order to analyze and evaluate the dependence of thruster working characteristics and output properties, such as specific impulse and thrust efficiency, on nozzle temperature.