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1979•Unpublished venueOpen access

Increased capabilities of the 30-cm diameter Hg ion thruster

Vincent K. Rawlin, C. HAWKINS

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Abstract

Some space flight missions require advanced ion thrusters which operate at conditions much different than those for which the baseline 30-cm Hg thruster was developed. Results of initial tests of a 30-cm Hg thruster with two and three grid ion accelerating systems, operated at higher values of both thrust and power and over a greater range of specific impulse than the baseline conditions are presented. Thruster lifetime at increased input power was evaluated both by extended tests and real time spectroscopic measurements.

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Some space flight missions require advanced ion thrusters which operate at conditions much different than those for which the baseline 30-cm Hg thruster was developed. Results of initial tests of a 30-cm Hg thruster with two and three grid ion accelerating systems, operated at higher values of both thrust and power and over a greater range of specific impulse than the baseline conditions are presented. Thruster lifetime at increased input power was evaluated both by extended tests and real time spectroscopic measurements.

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Available abstract

Some space flight missions require advanced ion thrusters which operate at conditions much different than those for which the baseline 30-cm Hg thruster was developed. Results of initial tests of a 30-cm Hg thruster with two and three grid ion accelerating systems, operated at higher values of both thrust and power and over a greater range of specific impulse than the baseline conditions are presented. Thruster lifetime at increased input power was evaluated both by extended tests and real time spectroscopic measurements.

Key concepts: Ion thruster, Ion, Materials science, Aerospace engineering, Computer science, Physics, Propulsion, Engineering

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