Stationary plasma thrusters (SPT) are the so-called closed electron drift thrusters (CEDT), which also include thrusters with an anode layer (TAL), which have scheme close to the SPT. In the USSR, they developed in parallel, competing with each other and contributing to the development of thrusters of both schemes. To date, their development has reached a significant high level. Thus, SPT has been successfully used in space for many years, performing a wide range of tasks and their application is expanding. In this regard, new problems arise, one of which is the development of a relatively inexpensive propellant with a large annual production volume. It is well known that now the main propellant for SPT is high-purity xenon, the production of which is limited, and, consequently, its price is quite high. One of the key candidates for replacing xenon is another inert gas with a lower atomic mass – krypton. Krypton has a number of advantages, but it is not without a number of disadvantages compared to xenon, the key of which is the deterioration of the thrust parameters of the thruster on krypton when operating in comparable modes. Nevertheless, it is possible to organize work on krypton so that the competitive characteristics of the thruster on this propellant are obtained, and krypton has already begun to be used in flight models of the SPT. The article presents the results of the perspective development of SPT on krypton, performed at the RIAME MAI. These developments are based on the experience of previous researches, including the experience of the initial stages of TAL development. Moreover, modern developments of the SPT are approaching to the ideal TAL scheme, first proposed by A.V. Zharinov. Therefore, the article briefly discusses the results of Zharinov’s research on the development of TAL.
The research of stationary plasma thruster operation on krypton
XLV ACADEMIC SPACE CONFERENCE, DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ACADEMICIAN S.P. KOROLEV AND OTHER OUTSTANDING NATIONAL SCIENTISTS — PIONEERS OF SPACE EXPLORATION ; 2021 ; Moscow, Russia
AIP Conference Proceedings ; 2549 , 1
2023-07-20
7 pages
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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